Horatio's Jacket
by Shanna1
Summary: When Horatio lends Calleigh his jacket at a crime scene, problems with Yelina cause their relationship to change. HCchapter 50 is the end
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Calleigh." Alexx greeted her as she arrived at the crime scene.

"Hey Alexx." Calleigh had been taking pictures; she had found several bullet casings.

"So what have we got?" Alexx asked.

"It appears she was shot at close range with a 9mm. I found several casings but I'm hoping you can find me some more to work with."

"Let's get a look at you sweetheart." Alexx crouched by the body. "Do we have a name for her yet?"

"Haven't found a purse or any other ID." Calleigh replied. "We'll run her prints which you can get for me, check missing persons. She's too smartly dressed to not be missed by someone."

"Calleigh take a look at this." Alexx had pushed back the neck of the woman's shirt. She had bruising around her neck. "Looks like someone tried to strangle her, but you put a fight didn't you sweetheart." Alexx checked her wrists and hands. "There are defensive wounds."

"How long do you think she's been dead?" Calleigh asked.

"I'll need to take a liver temp before I'm certain but I'm guessing not more than a few hours."

"Alexx, I see a red fibre can I?" Alexx nodded. Calleigh took a pair of tweezers and extracted the fibre from the woman's shirt collar. "Looks synthetic to me." Calleigh said. "These clothes are definitely not synthetic. Looks like our killer left something behind." Calleigh smiled and put the fibre into and evidence bag. "I'm going to take another look around."

"Okay." Alexx smiled. "By the way is that a new fashion statement?" She nodded indicating the man's grey suit jacket Calleigh had on over her black pants and white top.

"No, I was cold when I got here."

"Because that looks a lot like the jacket to the suit that Horatio had on this morning when I saw him."

"I literally ran into Hannah this morning and she threw her coffee over me. I had a spare shirt in my locker but no jacket since it's colder today I had goose bumps when I got here so Horatio insisted I took his jacket, I tried protesting."

"But Horatio insisted." Alexx finished for her. Calleigh nodded.

"Speaking of Horatio." A voice behind Calleigh said.

"Hello Yelina." Calleigh greeted her.

"Calleigh, Alexx, have you seen him?"

"He was here, but Eric was having problems gaining access to a crime scene. Since Speed's away at that conference Eric was on his own with Tripp, so Horatio went to help sort it out."

"I'm supposed to be testifying in court in an hour. When you see him can you tell him my plans for tonight fell through and I don't need him to watch Ray Jr." Yelina asked slightly coldly.

"I'll tell him, but I know he'll be disappointed, he was looking forward to seeing him."

"Tell him we'll arrange something later in the week. Alexx." Yelina said before walking away.

"Is it just me or does that woman not like me?" Calleigh turned and asked Alexx.

"It's not you." Alexx replied.

"What did I ever do to her?"

"In one word Horatio." Alexx said.

"What about Horatio?" Calleigh questioned.

"You two are pretty close, you flirt harmlessly and she doesn't like it."

"Why Horatio and I are just friends, he's my boss."

"Yelina doesn't see it like that. She thinks you're trying to muscle in on him." Alexx continued to explain.

"She's his sister-in-law."

"Yelina likes to think she has some hold over him, she doesn't want some pretty blonde with a cute southern accent trying to change that status quo."

"I wouldn't..." Calleigh started to protest.

"I know, but you wearing his jacket doesn't help."

"Calleigh." Eric said as he walked into ballistics.

"Eric, did you finally get into your crime scene then?" Calleigh looked up and smiled at him.

"Horatio arrived and talked to the guy for two minutes and he was helpful as can be. He was telling me to take as long as I liked."

"So is this a social call?" She asked.

"No, I have a bullet casing and a gun, I was hoping you'd have time to run a check and see if they match for me."

"I'll make you a deal. I have a red fibre found on my victim you try and find out what type of fabric it's from and I'll run your ballistics."

"Deal." Eric shook her hand. "But I thought Horatio was working the case with you."

"I haven't seen him since he went to help you out."

"By the way you still have his suit jacket on." Eric pointed out.

"I forgot about that." Calleigh slipped it off and laid it over the back of a chair.

"Care to explain?"

"I was cold; he insisted and then left before I had a chance to return it. By the way if you see him tell him Yelina doesn't need him to watch Ray Jr tonight her plans fell through."

"Since when did you become Yelina's personnel message service?" Eric asked.

"Since according to Alexx I became competition."

"I see." Eric had a knowing smile on his face.

"I should get back to work." Calleigh said changing the subject.

"I'll get you the report on your fibres as soon as I can."

"Thanks." Calleigh replied.

"Hey Alexx." Horatio said as he walked in as Alexx was finishing her autopsy.

"Horatio."

"What can you tell me?" He asked.

"Our victim is still a Jane Doe. Cause of death was a bullet passing through her aorta severing it, but she had three bullets passing right through her. But before she died someone tried to strangle her. She has defensive marks on her hands and arms. Calleigh has the scrapings from under her fingernails in DNA, she also has the red fibre that was caught in her shirt button, the bullets and the hand prints." Alexx explained.

"So whoever killed probably tried unsuccessfully before."

"She has scuff marks on the backs of her heels and shoes."

"I'll check missing persons." Horatio said.

"I think Calleigh already has someone running it and the fingerprints."

"Isn't she efficient today?" Horatio commented.

"Horatio you need to talk to her."

"About what Alexx?" Horatio questioned.

"Yelina." Alexx replied.

"What about Yelina?"

"You probably haven't noticed but Yelina doesn't like Calleigh."

"Of course she does."

"No, she's pleasant when you're around but when you're not she isn't."

"Why didn't Calleigh say anything?" Horatio asked.

"It's Calleigh she wouldn't. But you lending her your jacket didn't help matters much."

"Thanks Alexx."

"Hey Cal." Horatio said as he walked into ballistics.

"Horatio." Calleigh smiled. "The bullets are from a standard issue 9mm, PD gun."

"So you're thinking it was a cop." Horatio said.

"Something has me thinking that, it was an older model, one that has been discontinued, I'm running it against the database now."

"Is that them?" He asked indicating the microscope she had been looking in.

"Er no. I'm comparing the bullets with the gun Eric found for him while he runs the red fibre, with Tim away it seemed logical."

"I see." Horatio said. "I hear you have been having problems with Yelina."

"Who told you that?" Calleigh asked.

"Alexx." Horatio replied.

"Did she give you Yelina's message?"

"No."

"Her plans fell through, she doesn't need you to watch Ray Jr tonight, but she'll call and schedule some time to you to see him later in the week." Calleigh relayed the message.

"Thank you for letting me know."

"Your jacket is on the chair behind you. Thank you for loaning it to me."

"Calleigh, about Yelina..." Horatio started.

"It's nothing." She interrupted.

"I'll talk to her."

"Horatio, there is no need."

"Cal, you have to be able to work together."

"Horatio you may not have noticed but I'm an adult I can handle someone not liking me."

"I noticed. Cal talk to me."

"Horatio, there isn't anything to talk about."

The phone rang much to Calleigh's relief.

"Ballistics, Duquesne." She answered. "Yes...Yes.. We'll be right over." She hung. "We may have an ID on our Jane Doe."

"This discussion isn't over."

"It is for now." Calleigh breezed past him.

"So why would Ms Soccer Mom be running?" Calleigh asked.

"Maybe we should ask her husband." Horatio suggested.

Calleigh's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me a minutes." She stepped back and flipper her cell phone open. "Duquesne." She answered.

"Calleigh, honey it's me." A voice on the other end said.

"Tim?" Calleigh questioned.

"Yes honey it's me."

"Why are you calling me honey?" Horatio looked at her.

"How are the kids?" Speed asked.

"Horatio and Eric are just fine sugar. We've only got a couple of db's we can handle it."

"Are you sure you don't need me to come home?" Tim asked.

"Conference that bad huh?" Calleigh smiled.

"Calleigh, get me out of here."

"She's gone then."

"Yes. But give me a reason to come back please."

"Hang on a second." Calleigh turned back to Horatio. "Timothy is having a bad day at school and he would like to know if he can cut out early and come home."

"Let me speak to him." Calleigh gave him the phone. "Speed what's up?"

"The conference is no use to us, and I have this woman following me around, who keeps making passes at me."

"So you called Calleigh to pretend she was your wife?" Horatio questioned.

"Yes. Is she made?" Speed asked.

"Well she's blushing. Horatio said glancing at Calleigh. "I don't think she's going to shoot you at any rate."

"That's good to know. So do I have to stay?"

"Come back to CSI. Eric could use your help." Horatio said.

"Thanks H." They hung up.

"Calleigh, there you are." Eric said.

"Your bullets match your gun. There's a partial print on one of the bullets but none on the gun itself, I haven't run the print yet."

"I'll run it. Your fibre had a high elastane content, I ran it against the database, it's not dissimilar to the material to make gloves."

"Probably the reason we couldn't find any latent prints." Calleigh replied.

"Can I trade you reports?" Eric asked. "Because I have a lot to run through the lab."

"Of course." Calleigh smiled.

"Speed should be back to help you soon." Horatio replied.

"I thought he was at a conference all day." Eric said.

"Apparently he missed the kids an I." Calleigh said plainly.

"Did I miss something?" Eric asked.

"I think someone was making advances towards him so he called. I'm now being referred to as honey."

"That's because you're sweet as honey Cal." Eric winked at her.

"You say the sweetest things." Calleigh blushed again.

"Huh hum." Horatio coughed. "Maybe you should get back to work."

"Right, I'll talk to your later." Eric turned and left.

"Before we go do the Fletchers have a gun registered to them?" Calleigh asked.

"Find out, I'll have Tripp meet us in the parking lot in ten minutes." Horatio said.

"Yes sir." Calleigh muttered.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr Fletcher." Horatio said as he and Calleigh stood on his porch.

"Yes." The man who had opened the front door to them said.

"I'm Lieutenant Caine and this is Detective Duquesne we're from the Miami-Dade crime lab." Horatio introduced them.

"Is this about the missing person's report I just filed about my wife an hour ago?" He asked.

"Mr Fletcher do you think we could come in?" Calleigh asked.

"Of course." He held the door open and let them past. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"We're fine Mr Fletcher." Horatio said. "When was the last time you saw your wife?"

"The day before yesterday. We had a fight about me coming home from work late again, she accused me of having an affair, we argued and I left. When I got back her sister was here watching the kids, I thought she would cool off and come back but she hasn't. That's why I reported her missing."

"Mr Fletcher we have some bad news." Horatio said.

"Please don't tell me she's dead." He said.

"I'm very sorry." Horatio replied.

"Oh god." He sank onto the couch and put his hands to his face. "When? How?"

"Earlier this morning." Calleigh replied. "She was shot several times."

"Why would anyone want to hurt her?" Fletcher asked.

"Mr Fletcher, you have a nine mm gun registered to you, could I see it?" Calleigh asked.

"Excuse me?" Fletcher looked at her.

"Your gun I'm going to need to see it."

"You just tell me why wife is dead and you want to see my gun?"

"Yes Mr Fletcher." Calleigh replied.

"It's in the gun safe; I'll go and get it."

Calleigh put on a pair of gloves to take the gun when he came back.

"This gun has been fired recently." She commented.

"I went to the shoot range and shot of a few rounds when I left. It helps me clear my head."

"It's an older nine mm model." Calleigh said examining it.

"It was my father's he was a cop. He gave it to me before he died." Fletcher said.

"Police issue guns are supposed to be returned to the police department when an officer leaves the force." Horatio said.

"I don't know, he just gave it to me for protect against all the home invasions that were happening." Fletcher replied.

"I've got something else." Calleigh said. She reached into her kit and took out a pair of tweezers.

"What've you got Cal?" Horatio asked.

"A red fibre, it looks consistent with the one we found on Mrs Fletcher earlier." Calleigh said.

"Mr Fletcher do you own a pair of red gloves?" Horatio asked.

"Red gloves? My son has a pair of those Magic stretch ones he wears when we go to visit my wife's parents. It snows there occasionally." Fletcher said.

"We're going to need to see them." Horatio said.

"I don't know where they are, Helena took care of things like that." Fletcher replied.

"Would you mind if we took a look around?" Horatio asked.

"Yes I would." Fletcher snapped. "You come and tell me my wife is dead and now you want to search my house. I don't think so."

"I'll tell you what I think you should go with the officer we have waiting outside, while I go and get a warrant to search your house." Horatio said.

"You want me to go to the police station?"

"Yes." Horatio said going to open the door. "Officer if you would take Mr Fletcher in for questioning."

"Yes Lieutenant. Sir, if you'd come with me." The police officer took him by the arm and escorted him out.

"Calleigh take the gun back to the lab and run a comparison to see if this is our guy. I'll go and get the warrant."

"You got it." Calleigh replied.

"And our discussion is not over."

"Just call it indefinitely on hold." Calleigh replied.

"Calleigh." Melanie the receptionist called to her as she was walking through the hall later.

"Hey Mel."

"Is Speed at that conference today?" She asked.

"No, Horatio gave him a reprieve half way through he should be back and helping Eric by now. Why?"

"There's a woman waiting over there to see him. She says she knows him. I asked to wait while I found out if he was here." Mel replied.

"I'll take care of it." Calleigh said. "Can I get a visitor's pass?"

"Here you go." Mel handed it to her.

"Thanks."

"Hello." Calleigh said walking over. "I'm Calleigh; I understand you're looking for Tim."

"Yes." The woman turned to look at her. "I'm Grace Verity. Tim and I met at a conference earlier today and he left kind of abruptly so I just came to check he was okay."

"I see." Calleigh guessed that she was the woman that Speed had been trying avoid by calling her. "Well if you just clip on this pass and I'll take you to see him."

"Thank you."

Calleigh lead her to Trace where Speed and Eric were working.

"Timothy, honey." Calleigh said making her accent more evident. Tim and Eric looked up. "Grace came to check that you were okay since you left the conference early. Wasn't that sweet of her?"

"Yes." Tim said not sure what else to say.

"I need to get back to ballistics, but since I was on the way to tell you the sitter called to say that some of the other children that she looks after had come down with the chicken pox and they wanted to warn us to be on the look out for signs with the boys I thought I'd show her where you were." She walked over and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you at home. Eric perhaps you could come and assist me?"

"Of course anything for my best friend's wife." Eric said getting in on the act. "Don't worry I'll have her home in time to get the kids to bed." He winked at Speed. "Let's go my lady."

"Now are you sweet." Calleigh smiled as she and Eric left.

Calleigh and Eric managed to get around the corner before they cracked up with laughter.

"What's so funny?" Alexx asked.

"Calleigh and Tim got married and had a couple of kids who might be coming down with the chicken pox." Eric explained.

"I'm a little confused." Alexx said.

"Tim picked up a new lady friend at the conference this morning that is kind of like a leech and won't let go. So he called me pretending that I was his wife earlier, Horatio said he could leave early. Then about ten minutes ago she turned up here to check up on him." Calleigh filled in the details. "I couldn't leave him floundering could I so I just kept up the act."

"I see."

"Cal do you really need my help?" Eric asked.

"No I was coming to tell you the computer kicked out a match to your gun and bullets." Calleigh replied.

"I thought AFIS was a bust." Eric said.

"It was but there are a couple of other databases I can run bullets through. The FBI's Drug Fire kicked out a match to a shooting in South Dakota."

"Drug Fire?" Eric questioned.

"It's the FBI's database of guns that were used in connection with drugs cases; it works in conjunction with the ATF and the DEA." She handed him the file.

"Thanks Cal."

"Now you just have to figure out how it ended up in Miami." Calleigh smiled.

"I have something for you." Alexx said. "I found some seeds in her hair." Alexx handed over the evidence envelope. "Also a few more of the red fibres in her throat."

"So they tried to suffocate her and strangle her before they shot her." Calleigh summarised.

"It looks like it. But she put up a fight and she was pregnant."

"How far along?" Calleigh asked.

"A few weeks."

"Mr Fletcher failed to mention that when we talked to him earlier. I'll have Horatio ask him about it when he interviews him after he's finished searching the house."

"You brought him in for questioning?" Alexx asked.

"His gun had been recently fired and there was a red fibre on it which matches the one I took from her neck earlier." Calleigh explained. "I'd just fire the test shoots for comparison when the computer beeped with Eric's hit."

"I see."

"By the way Alexx did you have to say something to Horatio?" Calleigh asked.

"Sorry Cal honey, he should know." Alexx said.

"Know what?" Eric asked.

"Yelina step up Ms Nice Cop routine this morning."

"Ouch, sorry Cal." Eric said.

"Does everybody know about this?" Calleigh asked.

"We all see how she treats you when H isn't around. I'm guessing if you were wearing his jacket that would be a big problem for her." Eric said.

"Would you all stop worrying about it? As I told Horatio, I'm an adult I can deal with it." Calleigh said.

"You shouldn't have to." Eric said. "But if that's what you want. Alexx I'm going to get some coffee while Speed gets rid of his new friend do you want to join me?"

"That would be great." Alexx said. "See you around sugar." She said to Calleigh who sighed before heading back to ballistics.

"Calleigh." Horatio said walking in to Ballistics.

"The bullets from the gun match the ones we found at the crime scene. Alexx found some more red fibres in her throat and some seeds in her hair. I haven't had a chance to run them yet between analysing this and pretending to be Speed's wife again."

"What about pretending to be Speed's wife?"

"He overly friendly friend came to check up on him since he left early." Calleigh explained. "Did you find anything at the house?"

"The red gloves stuffed down the back of the couch, there were grass seeds all over the lawn and a trail that led to the garage and ultimately to the trunk of the car."

"So what are we thinking that they had the argument as Fletcher said he did go to the shooting range, he was there for a couple of hours, I spoke to the range marshal. When he gets back the sister is there with the kids and Mrs Fletcher did go out."

"But she obviously came back." Horatio said.

"So he puts on the gloves and tries to strangle her on the lawn, she attempts to scream so he puts his hand over mouth and cuts off her air until she passes out. He drags her and puts her in trunk."

"When is consistent with the evidence of the scuff marks on the shoes and ankles. So he waits a few hours, and when he realises she's still alive drives her out to where we found her and shoots her, but instead of disposing of the gun he takes it home. Why?"

"He's just killed his wife after several attempts I don't think he's going to be at him most rational. Then to cover it up he reports her missing." Calleigh said.

"We need to tie the seeds together. I'll take them."

"They are still holding him awaiting your instructions." Calleigh relayed.

"Unfortunately he is going to have to wait a bit longer. Calleigh about Yel..."

"Calleigh." Speed said coming in. "Sorry H am I interrupting something?"

"Nothing that can't wait." Horatio replied.

"What did you need?" Calleigh asked.

"I wanted to say thank you for helping me out earlier." Speed smiled.

"No problem. I take it she's gone."

"Yes, and she won't be back. So thank you."

"You're welcome." Calleigh smiled.

"Do you have plans after the shift is over?" Speed asked.

"No what did you have in mind?"

"I'll take you out to dinner to say thank you."

"Since the kids are only real in Miss Verity's mind, I think you have yourself a deal."

"I'll see you later and we'll set up the details."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

"So you're going out with Speed tonight." Horatio commented.

"You were stood there when he asked me." Calleigh pointed out. "And it's just a thank you dinner, not that it's any of your business."

"Calleigh..." Horatio started.

"You should get those seeds analysed so we can put Mr Fletcher away." Calleigh said.

"Calleigh we still need to talk."

"Not on either of the two topics available at present." Calleigh replied. "Let's just get this case over with. I have to write up my findings."

"It's not over Calleigh."

"You're quiet." Speed commented as he sat in the restaurant with Calleigh.

"Sorry Tim. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered. "You helped me out today, let me help you."

"It's stupid." Calleigh replied. "Not worth talking about."

"If it's distracting you then it is." He prompted. "Dr Speedle's office is now open; tell me what ails you child."

Calleigh cracked up with laughter.

"Sorry." She apologised when she managed to control her laughter. "Very Freud."

"Come on Calleigh; tell me what's bothering you."

"Horatio." Calleigh said.

"Ah, I see." Tim said leaning back in his chair.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Calleigh asked.

"I just said I see."

"It was the tone in which you said it."

"No tone." Speed insisted. "What's H done this time?"

"He leant me his jacket this morning at a crime scene because I was cold." Calleigh replied.

"And?" He prompted.

"It wasn't a problem until Yelina saw when she came to see Horatio, who had already left the scene to help Eric out with his entry problems."

"I see where this is going. She was more hostile than usual." Speed said.

"Has everyone noticed that?" Calleigh asked.

"Cal unfortunately she is fine with the rest of us, it's you she has a problem with."

"So I noticed."

"What's this got to do with H?" Speed asked.

"Alexx told him about what happened. Now he wants to talk about it."

"I see."

"Dr Speedle you're not being very helpful. But since you're here you can tell why do you, Eric, Horatio want to take care of these thing for me. I'm an adult, I'm a detective with Miami-Dade police department, I'm a good CSI, I'm a ballistics expert, I took kickboxing classes while I was in college, I can take care of myself."

"Cal, you're our friend and we care about you. Of course we want to make sure that you're okay. You shouldn't have to put up with Yelina's crap."

"I can deal with it." Calleigh insisted.

"But you shouldn't have to. So you're mad that Horatio wants to talk about it and sort the situation out."

"I'm not mad well at least not about that, I'm just slightly ticked off about Horatio's reaction to the fact that you asked me out for dinner."

"That would be because Yelina is not the only one who is jealous." Speed replied.

"Excuse me."

"Yelina is jealous of how well you get along with Horatio." Speed explained.

"That's what Alexx said earlier."

"Alexx is a very smart woman." Speed acknowledged.

"But what were you saying about Horatio being jealous?" Calleigh asked.

"Calleigh, we're CSI's."

"Yes."

"We're trained to be observant right?"

"Yes." Calleigh agreed.

"So believe me when I tell you Horatio likes you."

"Of course he does, he's my friend."

"Okay, how do I put this...?" Speed said. He pulled out his cell phone and dialled a number.

"_Delko."_ The voice on the end answered.

"Eric it's Speed."

"_I thought you were taking Calleigh out for a thank you dinner."_

"I am. I need you to do me a favour."

"_What kind of favour?" _

"Tell Calleigh how Horatio feels." Speed said.

"_Let me talk to her."_ Eric said.

"It's Eric." Speed held out the phone to Calleigh.

"Eric?" She questioned.

_"Hey Cal. What Speed wants me to tell is that Horatio wants to jump your bones."_

"Excuse me?"

"_Horatio wants to jump your bones."_

"I got that the first time."

"_It's true. Speed will fill in more details. I'll see you tomorrow."_ Eric hung up.

Calleigh closed the phone and handed it back silently.

"Cal you okay?" Speed asked.

"Eric said Horatio 'wants to jump my bones' and that's a direct quote."

"Not as poetic as I was hoping for but that's basically it." Speed agreed.

"Umm..."

"Cal, Horatio's felt that way since he went to hire you."

"I don't..."

"Don't worry he hired you for your talent in ballistics, Horatio doesn't let his personal feelings get in the way of doing his job. When he came back from interviewing you, he was raving about your talents. Delko asked if you were cute, he said yes but we were to keep our hands off."

"He said that?"

"Yes. I worked just fine for Eric and I. We both think you're gorgeous and love your accent but we think of you as a sister."

"Don't you say the sweetest things." Calleigh smiled.

"Horatio on the other hand has a little more trouble with it. He watches you work when you're concentrating so you're not going to catch him. The whole thing with Hagen nearly killed him, he was trying to no show you it affected him, but it did. Alexx and I were keeping an eye on him."

"You've talked about this?" Calleigh questioned.

"Cal there is only so many conversations you can have about dead bodies. Of course we talk about it."

"Why didn't someone say something? Why didn't Horatio say something?"

"Because he's our boss. He doesn't want to rock the boat and make you uncomfortable so you'll leave. He'd rather suffer in silence."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Talk to him. Because whether you know it or not we're pretty sure you like him too."

"I see." Calleigh said.

"But first dessert." The waitress came over bringing their desserts.

"Thank you." Calleigh said.

"Come on I'll drive you home." Speed said after they had gone for a walk so Calleigh could clear her head.

"Actually there is somewhere else I want to go." Calleigh said.

"Are you sure?" Speed asked.

"I need to get this out in the open before I change my mind." Calleigh replied. "You can drop me off; I'll get a cab home."

"Okay, if you're sure." Speed agreed.

"I am."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure you want to do this now Cal?" Speed asked as he pulled outside the front of Horatio's beachside condo.

"Want to no, need to yes." Calleigh smiled.

"Good luck." Speed said.

"Thank you and thank you for dinner." She leant over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Calleigh took a deep breath and walk up to the door. She took another breath before extending her hand out to press the buzzer. Her finger hovered over it; she drew her hand back, and then extended it. She snatched her hand and leant against the wall and slid down until she was sat down, her legs in front of her neatly crossed at the ankles.

That was where Horatio found her ten minutes later when he got home from the store.

"Calleigh." He said taking sunglasses off. She looked up at him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Umm. Hi." She said getting to her feet.

"Been waiting long?" Horatio asked.

"Umm no. Actually I didn't press the buzzer." Calleigh replied.

"So you thought you would drop by and sit outside?" Horatio questioned as he unlocked the door.

"I was working up... We need to talk." Calleigh said deciding the direct approach would work.

"I recall mentioning that earlier, but you didn't want to discuss it."

"This isn't about Yelina. Alexx told me why she has doesn't like me, I can see her perspective."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

"Can we go for a walk?" Calleigh asked.

"Let me put these things away." Horatio said. Calleigh waited outside for him to come back. "I thought you were supposed to be having dinner with Speed."

"I did he dropped me off here." Calleigh slipped off her shoes as they hit the beach.

"It explains the dress. You look nice by the way."

"Thank you." Calleigh unconsciously smoothed the skirt of her dress out. "It was quite enlightening."

"Enlightening about what?"

"You." Calleigh replied.

"You discussed me?"

"We talked about Alexx, Eric and Yelina too. He asked what was bothering me."

"I see." Horatio said leaving an opening for her to continue.

"I hate it when you do that." Calleigh said.

"Do what?" Horatio inquired.

"Leave gaps for people to fill in. Its fine with a suspect, but not with me. I'm supposed to be your friend."

"You are my friend Cal." Horatio insisted. "You said you wanted to talk so I'm listening."

"No I said we needed to talk."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Did you tell Tim and Eric I was hands off when you got back from interviewing me in New Orleans?" Calleigh asked.

"Who told you that?" Horatio questioned.

"That Lieutenant is called avoid the question."

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine."

"Tim." Calleigh replied.

"Yes." Horatio said.

"Why?" Calleigh asked.

"Because you're beautiful, smart and charming and I wanted you to be able to do your job without them bothering you."

Calleigh stopped dead and looked at him. He realised she had stopped walked and stopped himself and turned to look at her.

"Calleigh?" Horatio said.

"You can't say things like that." Calleigh said.

"I was just answering your question." He pointed out.

"You know Speed has a theory as to why you reacted the way you did when he invited me for dinner."

"And what was that?"

"That you were jealous." Calleigh replied.

"I see."

"Thinking back to the conversation I had with Alexx earlier she would agree with him."

"I see." Horatio repeated.

"Eric on the other hand, I'm too much of a lady to repeat what he said."

"Calleigh where is this conversation going?"

"I'm still trying to work that out. Can we just walk for a while?"

"If that's what you want." Horatio agreed.

"You know I can take care of myself." Calleigh said after fifteen minutes just walking along the beach.

"I know that Cal."

"It's sweet that you guys want to watch out for me."

"All watch out for each other."

"As for Yelina..."

"Calleigh if she is making your life difficult and that is having an effect on how you do your job we should sort it out now."

"Horatio, Alexx was right when she said Yelina was hostile because she was jealous of our friendship. I can't do anything about that because it is her problem, not mine. I can still do my job." Calleigh stated.

"I'll talk to her."

"Don't, this is doesn't have anything to do with you except in the broadest sense, let it go."

"Calleigh, everyone has the right not to work in a hostile environment." Horatio said.

"I don't want to talk about Yelina anymore."

"If it does become more of a problem I want you to come and tell me. I'll deal with it." Horatio instructed.

"Okay." Calleigh agreed. "You never did tell me what you thought."

"Thought about what?"

"Tim's theory."

"It's a work in progress." Horatio admitted. "He has no evidence to prove or disprove it."

"Horatio, I'm not talking science here, I'm talking about something else."

"What do you want me to say Cal?" He asked.

"I don't know." Calleigh sighed. "It's a beautiful night." She turned to look out to where the stars were beginning to show in the night sky.

"That it is."

Calleigh sank onto the sand.

"Do you ever wonder?" Calleigh asked.

"Wonder about what?" Horatio sat next to her.

"What if your life had been different? What if you had made different choices?"

"Everything that has happened whether it was good or bad has brought me to this point in my life." Horatio said. "To this beach, under these stars, with you here."

"That's a good way to look at it." Calleigh admitted. "But are there some things you would change if you had the chance."

"I would rather my mother hadn't be murdered or my brother. But if my mother hadn't died I wouldn't have become as CSI, if Ray hadn't died I wouldn't have know I had a niece."

"You have a niece?" Calleigh questioned.

"Do you remember Madison, Susie's daughter?" Horatio asked.

"Yes. She's Ray's daughter?"

"Yes. Wow. Does Yelina know?"

"No and I'd rather she didn't find out."

"If she does it won't come from me." Calleigh said.

"What would you change?" Horatio asked.

"I'd rather my father wasn't an alcoholic and that I didn't grow trying to protect my brothers from it. I'd rather forget the whole thing with John Hagen. But they brought me to this beach, under these stars with you."

They sat for a minute watching the waves crash against the beach.

"Horatio."

"Yes?"

"If I do something will you promise not to fire me or think any less of me?" Calleigh asked.

"Calleigh, I'd never fire you or think any less of you."

"Good." She took a breath and leaned over and kissed him.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that." Calleigh said when she pulled back.

"Calleigh..." Horatio started but Calleigh put a finger on his lip to silence him.

"Please don't say anything. I'm sorry. Think of it as trying to disprove a theory, extract evidence so I could come to a conclusion."

"Calleigh." He whispered.

"Please don't say anything." She quickly got to her feet and grabbed her shoes and purse. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Calleigh." Horatio called after her as she ran off down the beach. "Calleigh wait." But it didn't do him any good.

Calleigh managed to get far enough away that she could slow slightly enough to swipe away the tears that ran down her face and to call a cab to pick her up. Luckily there was one in the vicinity and it was waiting by the time she got to Horatio's condo.

"Is everything okay miss?" The cab driver asked after she had told him where she wanted to go.

"I'm fine." Calleigh said. "Or I will be." Calleigh dug her purse out of her purse and dialled a familiar number.

"_Hello_." A female voice answered.

"Alexx it's Calleigh."

"_Calleigh is everything okay?"_ Alexx could hear that she was upset.

"Alexx I did something stupid."

_"What did you do?"_

"I kissed him."

"_Tim_?" Alexx questioned.

"Horatio." Calleigh murmured.

"_Where are you?" _Alexx asked.

"In a cab on the way home."

"_Get it to bring you here." _Alexx instructed.

"Alexx I can't intrude."

"_You're not intruding. Calleigh come over."_

"Okay." Calleigh agreed.

_"I'll see you soon sugar."_

Calleigh hung up and told the driver about the change of destination before sitting back and staring out the window.

"Oh Calleigh." Alexx pulled her into a hug when she saw her tearstained face as soon as she opened the door. "Sweetheart, everything is going to be okay."

Alexx held her until she was sobbed out.

"I'm sorry Alexx; I don't know why I'm crying." Calleigh apologised.

"Why don't you tell me what happened sugar?"

"Tim asked me what was distracting me while we were having dinner. He did this stupid Freud impression and told me to tell 'Doctor Speedle' my troubles so I told him about Yelina and Horatio's reaction to him inviting me out for dinner."

"I see. Go on." Alexx encouraged.

"He agreed with you about Yelina. He also told me that Horatio liked me, which is where we got our wires crossed, so he called Eric who told me Horatio wanted to jump my bones."

"Very succinct and very Eric. But from my perspective very accurate, Calleigh, my guess would be Horatio is half in love with you, but wouldn't do anything about it unless you wanted him to."

"Did you know Horatio told Eric and Speed that I was 'hands off' when he hired me?"

"Sounds like Horatio." Alexx had to agree. "Where does the kissing him come into it?"

"I had Tim drop me off at his condo. I walked to the door but I couldn't get the courage up to press the buzzer. So I sat down trying to figure out what I wanted to say. But he had been to the store and came home."

"Oh."

"So I suggested we went for a walk and I confronted him about what he'd said to Eric and Tim. He said he'd said it because I was beautiful smart and charming and he wanted me to be able to do my job."

"Wow." Alex said.

"It kind of threw me."

"I'll bet."

"So I told him I could handle Yelina. I told him about Tim's theory that he reacted to the fact that we were going out tonight the way he did because he was jealous."

"What did he say to that?"

"He said that it was a working theory because Tim had no evidence to prove it one way or the other." Calleigh replied.

"That's one way of avoiding the subject."

"We talked about how everything that had happened to us, however ever much we wish we could change it has brought us to this point in our lives and then I got him to promise not to fire me or think any less of me and I kissed him."

"What did Horatio say to that?" Alexx asked.

"He didn't get the chance, I told him not to say anything that I was sorry and then I ran away and got a cab." Calleigh replied.

"Oh Calleigh sweetheart, you should have talked to him."

"I was scared so I ran."

"How was the kiss?"

"Did you ever kiss someone and it felt like the world stopped, everything disappeared, nothing mattered anymore except that one moment?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I married him." Alexx replied.

"Sorry to interrupt." Alexx's husband came in. "Horatio's on the phone, he wants to know if we've seen Calleigh since she's not answer her phone and her cell phone goes straight to voice mail."

"Thank you." Alexx took the phone. "Horatio its Alexx."

"_Alexx, have you seen Calleigh? I can't get her to answer a phone."_

"Why are you looking for her?" Alexx asked.

"_We were having a discussion and she left abruptly I wanted to make sure she was alright."_

"A discussion about what?" Alexx inquired.

"_It doesn't matter." _Horatio replied. "_Have you seen or heard from her?"_

"She's here." Alexx admitted.

"_Can I speak with her?" _ Horatio asked.

"He wants to speak to you." Alexx held the phone out to her. Calleigh shook her head. "She doesn't want to come to the phone right now, but she'll meet you for breakfast tomorrow morning at the usual place an hour before your shift starts."

"_Thanks Alexx. Take care of her for me okay?"_

"Of course." Alexx agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"_Bye Alexx."_ They hung up.

"Why did you tell him I'd meet him for breakfast?" Calleigh asked.

"Because you need to work this out before you come to work. It will give you the night to think about where you stand and what you want. We all know how Horatio feels, it's how you feel that is in question. You need to figure out what you and tell him, he won't know otherwise."

"When did you get so smart?"

"I did a psych rotation in med school and soap operas are a good distraction from death."

" 'There are only so many conversations you can have about dead people.' " Calleigh recalled what Tim had said.

"Exactly. I'll make some coffee."

"Thanks Alexx."

"Anytime sugar."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Calleigh sat stirring a spoon around her coffee the next morning while she waited for Horatio to arrive. She had got to the café thirty minutes early before she chickened out. She had tossed and turned for most of the night thinking things over and finally reached a decision.

"Calleigh." Horatio said coming over to the table taking off his sunglasses.

"Horatio."

"I think we have something to talk about."

"I think we should. I'll go first. I'm sorry I kissed you like that and I'm also sorry that I ran off."

"You did nothing you need to apologise for." Horatio said. "But your explanation was a little confusing."

"Which part?"

"You said you were trying to disprove a theory, but you never stated what your hypothesis was or whether you collected enough evidence to come to a conclusion."

Calleigh paused and looked at him before responding.

"Do you remember a couple of years ago we when that team from the Las Vegas Crime Lab came out, a Catherine Willows and I think the guy was called something Brown?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with this situation?"

"I asked them if they had a theory and Catherine said in Las Vegas they didn't work theories they worked the evidence."

"I remember."

"You know I met the boss of their lab, Gil Grissom, at a conference last year. He was giving a lecture, he's one of the countries few forensic entomologists. It was actually quite fascinating as to how..."

"Cal, I think we're getting off topic here and we have to be at work in less than an hour." Horatio pointed out.

"Sorry where was I?"

"Something about working the evidence not theories." Horatio supplied.

"Right. Alexx, Eric and Speed all have these theories about what they think is going on, so I decided I needed to look at it from an evidentiary point of view."

"And you were collecting additional evidence." Horatio said.

"Yes." Calleigh agreed.

"And did you reach a conclusion?" Horatio prompted.

"You know this is an odd way to have this conversation." Calleigh pointed out.

"We're scientists Cal, we work best with evidence."

"You and I are also cops which is why we like theories." Calleigh pointed out. "We know that sometimes you can't just get straight from A to B sometimes you have to go via X, Y and Z to get to where you need to be."

"Which is also true. But you didn't answer my question."

"After talking it over with Alexx and Tim, and studying the evidence for most of last night, I did reach a conclusion."

"Which was?"

"You shouldn't try to disprove something you know is unequivocally true."

"I see and where did you see your conclusion leading?" Horatio asked.

"I think a little more research into the evidence we were discussing last night is called for, but I'm going to be in need of a little assistance from you if you're willing."

"Calleigh, I'm inclined to..." Horatio's cell phone rang stopping him from completing his sentence. "Excuse me a moment." He plucked his phone off of his belt. "Caine... What about... I see... I'll be right there." He hung up. "I'm sorry I've got to go."

"Who was that?" Calleigh asked.

"The bomb squad, they've found a series of bombs on school buses all over the city and they need all hands on deck to defuse them before they go off."

"You're going to defuse a bomb?" Calleigh questioned.

"It's what I'm trained to do. We'll finish this discussion later." He slipped his sunglasses on. "I'll see you back at the lab."

"I'm coming with you. Just let me pay for my coffee."

"Fine, I'll meet you in the parking lot." Horatio agreed.

"What have we got?" Horatio asked the assistant bomb tech who had been assigned to check over the bus and help out, but wasn't fully trained in bomb disposal.

"As far as I can tell a pipe bomb sir." She timidly replied. "Which is consistent with the other bombs found on the other buses."

"What happened?" Calleigh asked.

"Some called it in saying there were bombs on eight school buses through out Miami and that they would go off at 0830 unless we stopped them."

"The kids would be in school by then." Calleigh pointed out.

"Whoever set the bombs doesn't want to hurt the children; they want to prove a point that they have access and ability. They're bragging, challenging us." Horatio said. "Are you okay?" Horatio asked the tech.

"It's only my second week on the job." She admitted.

"Take a slow deep breath for me. I'll you what we're going to do, I'm going to suit up and go and take a look at the bomb and attempt to diffuse it. All right?"

She nodded.

"Horatio." Calleigh said.

"I know, be careful." Horatio smiled.

"That was given, I was going to say while you're defusing it, try not to disturb it too much, there could be transfer evidence, fingerprints that could help us catch whoever planted these bombs as well as their signature."

"Switch your cell phone off but take the radio and go a couple of blocks away and have them patch you through to Delko and Speed. Have them go and process the bombs and the underside of the buses where they have defused them. The buses are ours now until they have been processed."

"I'm on it and Horatio."

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

"He does know what he is doing right?" The woman from the bomb squad named Marcy asked.

"Horatio used to be one of the best on the bomb squad before he joined CSI. He prefers being able to give people piece of mind after a tragedy, by telling them how and why something happened. It's what he's good at."

"This is the first bomb I've had to deal with since I joined the bomb squad."

"Why the bomb squad?" Calleigh asked.

"It was where I was assigned." Marcy replied. "I used to be a detective in small town Virginia."

"Why move to Miami?" Calleigh asked.

"I got married and my husband got transferred here. I put in for a transfer and ended up with the bomb squad since it was the only opening. Truth be told bombs scare the hell out of me, they are so unpredictable."

"Bombs aren't unpredictable; it's the bomb makers that are unpredictable. Bombs are simple, a timer, trigger and a propellant. But every bomb maker has a signature, a way he puts the bomb together, it can be as simple as the way they twist the wires together. They tell a story, who the bomb maker is, where he shops which leads us to catch them."

"Sounds like you know a lot about bombs. Did you do a stint in the bomb squad too?"

"No, being a CSI you pick up information on a whole range of areas, working with Horatio you understand bombs and the mindset of bomb makers. You learn anatomy, physics, chemistry, biology, botany, the list goes on. But my area of expertise is ballistics."

"Guns."

"Guns." Calleigh confirmed. "Horatio was looking for a ballistics expert which is why I got the job."

"We're clear." Horatio called.

"Dispatch." Calleigh said turning the radio on. "This is Duquesne we're clear."

"Copy that." Dispatch replied.

"I've got the bomb." Horatio said.

"I'll process the bus." Calleigh said.

"There's a spare jump suit in the back of the Hummer."

"Thank you." Calleigh smiled.

"Did you get a hold of Eric and Speed?"

"They're on their way out now."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey Tim, how's it going?" Calleigh asked as she walked into Trace.

"Oh hey Cal. I'm running the sand that was found in most of the bombs."

"Sand?" Calleigh questioned as he stepped aside to let her take a look at the microscope.

"Only two of the bombs were real the others were full of sand. One of those was the one H disarmed."

"I've run the hair and print I got from the underside of the bus, but they don't match anything on record."

"Did you compare it to the one Eric pulled off the end cap?" Speed asked.

"Yes, it was a match which proves he, whoever he is, built the pipe bombs and planted them."

"DNA result definitely confirmed we're looking for a man then."

"Yes."

"Eric is out trying to track down the components used to make the bomb. H gave him a list but he's still taking them all apart one at a time to see if he can gain more insight into who he is, his signature."

"I'm having the tape of the 911 call brought over for the AV lab to go over to see if they can pick up anything in the background or in his tone." Calleigh explain.

"What I want to know is how did they manage to rig eight school buses undetected?" Speed said.

"The company that runs the buses for the city keeps them all locked up at night in the same parking lot. There is a security guard who guards the front gate but..."

"Hop the fence at the back and no one is going to check." Speed finished.

"Tripp is getting a warrant. We're going to fingerprint all the bus drivers, everyone who has access." Calleigh told him.

"Good thinking." Speed smiled. "So how did it go last night?"

"Not well. I ended up crying on Alexx's shoulder for a few hours."

"If he hurt you..." Speed started.

"He didn't. We talked for a while and I did something I haven't quite decided if it was a good or a bad idea yet and I got scared so I ran."

"If you were having breakfast with him I guess you cleared up the misunderstanding?" Speed speculated.

"We were working on it when Horatio got the call."

"I'm here if you need me Cal."

"Thanks so about that sand..." Calleigh said changing the subject back to work.

"It's definitely not beach sand. It's from a quarry; I'll run analysis and work out where."

"Every bomb tells a story." Calleigh smiled.

"As does every grain of sand."

"Let's hope it leads us to our bad guy."

"Speed, Calleigh." Yelina said walking into trace.

"Yelina." Calleigh said.

"At least you're wearing your own clothes today." Yelina commented, the coldness in her voice apparent.

"You know what Yelina; I've had enough of it." Calleigh said.

"Enough of what?" Yelina tried to sound innocent.

"The cold hearted b#ch routine when I'm around. I've never done anything to except try to be nice to you. I know what your problem is and it's not my fault so stop blaming me for your insecurities and if it bothers you that much talk to Horatio."

"I don't know where you get off talking to me like that." Yelina said.

"I've been told that I have a case for making a claim about a hostile work environment."

"Calleigh." Speed said just as Calleigh's pager went off telling Tripp had got the warrant.

"So why don't we make both our lives easier, stay away from me unless we have the misfortune to be working the same case." Calleigh said. "Tim I'll see you later and let me know about the sand."

"Will do." Speed replied. Calleigh left to go and do her job.

"Did you hear what she said to me?" Yelina said.

"It's been a long time coming and you deserved it." Speed replied.

"You're siding with her?"

"This isn't about taking sides. Raymond's been dead for a while couple of years now, if anything was going to happen between you and Horatio it would have by now. So get over and move on and stop making Calleigh's life hell, she doesn't deserve it."

"You are siding with her. You're all a little in love with her aren't you?"

"Yelina, Calleigh is our friend; we care about what happens to her. Friends help each other, trust and respect each other. They also stand up for each other and by each other. Horatio is in the layout room, taking apart the bombs from this morning and doesn't want to be disturbed; I have work to do so I need you to leave now."

Yelina turned on her heel and left.

"Calleigh are you alright?" Tripp asked when she met him in the parking lot.

"I'll be fine when I can shoot off a few rounds." Calleigh replied.

"Just don't let me get in the way."

"I'll wait until I'm back at the range." Calleigh said.

"Horatio." Yelina said walking into the layout room where Horatio was busy looking at the bombs.

"Yelina is this important I'm in the middle of something." Horatio asked.

"You need to control your CSIs." Yelina stated.

"Why what happened?" Horatio looked up at her.

"Calleigh just yelled at me."

"What did you say to her to make her do that?" Horatio asked.

"She yells at me and you're asking what I said to her?" Yelina seemed a little stunned.

"Calleigh is a calm and reasonable woman, she wouldn't yell at someone without a reason." Horatio replied. "Or being provoked."

"I said it was good to see she was wearing her own clothes today."

"This was about my loaning her my jacket yesterday?" Horatio questioned. "I gave it to her because she was cold, she didn't want to take it but I insisted. End of story.

"Horatio..." Yelina started.

"I've been made aware that you've been hostile towards her for some time now. It needs to stop she is just trying to do her job and she can't do that if you're making her life difficult."

"I see Calleigh came complaining to you."

"Actually someone else brought it to my attention. Calleigh didn't want to discuss about it when I tried to talk to her yesterday. She said she would handle it her way and didn't want anyone else to interfere. I was trying to respect her decision, but it seems things have escalated."

"Horatio, you're siding with her in this." Yelina said.

"Yelina you're family and you'll always be my nephew's mother and my brother's wife, but Calleigh is my friend and I am her boss and I have a responsibility to make sure she works in a safe and secure environment that isn't hostile. Drop the attitude around her and the situation will sort itself out before she decides to file and official complaint."

"Horatio."

"Yelina, I need to get back to work I have a bomb maker who thinks planting pipe bombs on school buses is a good idea and I need to find him before this escalates."

"You're throwing me out?"

"I'm asking you to leave." Horatio rephrased. "I'll talk to you later."

Yelina huffed before turning and leaving.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm Calleigh Duquesne from the crime lab." Calleigh introduced herself to the manager of the school bus fleet. "We have a warrant to take fingerprints from all your staff and any security camera footage from the last week."

"I have all the fingerprints from everyone on record. It was required since we're dealing with kids. Everyone had a background check too." The manager explained.

"I'm going to need those records." Calleigh smiled.

"I'll get them straight away." He said trying to impress her. "Security tapes too."

"Thank you. I'm also going to need to see where the eight buses in question were parked when they finished their school run yesterday."

"See that void in the corner of the parking lot, that's where they were parked." He pointed in the direction of the space in the bus parking lot.

"Frank if you get the fingerprints and security tapes, I'm going to take a look."

"Found something?" Frank Tripp asked coming to where Calleigh was crouched down taking a photograph of something she had found.

"Sand." Calleigh replied as she took a sample. "Six of the bombs were filled with sand rather than explosives." Calleigh explained. "Speed should be able to match this to the samples he has from the bombs."

"So you think that they installed the bombs on the buses here?" Tripp questioned.

"It looks that way, the longest the buses were stationary would have been over night when they are parked here and the buses that were chosen were in a tight formation, it would have been easy to duck from one bus to another. But we can't say for certain until we have more evidence." Calleigh got to her feet. "I need to take a look around the perimeter fence. See if there were any forced points of entry."

"The security guard made a point of mentioning that he'd checked the whole fence and didn't see any damage."

"But he's not a CSI." Calleigh winked at him.

"Speed have you had any luck identifying the sand?" Horatio asked walking into Trace.

"I ran it through the database for local quarried but no luck so I expanded the search to the whole database and got a hit. It's from a quarry in Nevada, just outside Vegas." Speed replied.

"Nevada?" Horatio questioned. "That's travelled a long way. Are there any companies that import it locally?"

"I'm checking that data now."

"Good work."

"How did it go with the bombs they tell us anything?" Speed asked.

"The bombs were basic and almost identical as if someone had been following a set of instructions when they were made."

"They probably got a how to guide from the internet."

"And those can be the most dangerous."

"They should just find whoever thought it was a good idea to put those kind of how to guides on the internet and put them in jail." Speed commented.

"You'll have no argument from me."

"Yelina dropped by earlier, I think she was looking for you, I told her you were busy." Speed informed him.

"She found me. She wanted to tell me Calleigh yelled at her."

"Calleigh didn't yell, she may have raised her voice slightly but it definitely wasn't yelling."

"You were there?" Horatio questioned.

"Technically I was here. Calleigh came to discuss what she had found out when Yelina came in."

"What happened?"

"Yelina came in and made a comment about seeing Calleigh was wearing her own clothes today. I know she's your sister-in-law H, but she was being a complete bch. Calleigh told her she'd had enough of it, that she hadn't tried anything other than being nice to Yelina, and if she had a problem she should talk to you. Then Calleigh told Yelina to keep away from her unless they were working the same case."

"What happened then?" Horatio asked.

"Tripp paged Calleigh that he got the warrant so she left."

"What warrant?" Horatio questioned.

"Calleigh's gone to fingerprint all the people who work at the bus depot and to check out the fence to see if anyone could have hopped it."

"I'll tell you what we're going to do..." Horatio's cell phone rang. "Excuse me a minute. Horatio." He answered. "I'll be right there." Horatio hung up. "That was Eric he thinks he found the store that sold all the parts for the pipe bombs. Keep checking for companies that import the sand."

"H I was thinking."

"What about Speed?"

"The guy planted eight pipe bombs only two of which were real. What if he wanted to target two of the drivers specifically, I mean the kids would have all been in school by the time the bombs were set to go off and the other six were just a diversion to throw us his real intent."

"Call Calleigh and get her to get a list of who drives which bus route. Specifically those eight bus routes." Horatio instructed.

"I'm on it."

"I've got something." Calleigh said to Tripp, "Umm." She looked around and spotted one of the bus yard employees. "Excuse me." She walked over to him.

"You're not supposed to be in here." He commented gruffly.

"My name is Calleigh Duquesne I'm with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. I'm investigating the bombs that were placed on the buses this morning."

"I didn't see anything, I don't know anything." He replied.

"Actually I was wondering if you had a ladder I could borrow." Calleigh said.

"A ladder?"

"A ladder." Calleigh repeated.

"There's one over there." He pointed. "Put it back when you're done." He walked off.

"Thank you." Calleigh said. Calleigh got the step ladder and dragged it over to the fence. "Frank can you hold the bottom so it doesn't topple over for me?"

"Of course."

Calleigh placed what she needed in her pockets and took the camera and climbed up the ladder to examine the top of the fence where something was caught. She photographed it.

"What've you got?" Tripp asked.

"Looks like the threads from one of those carry-all sports bag." Calleigh said placing it in an evidence envelope. Her cell phone rang. "Duquesne." She answered.

"_Calleigh it's Speed._" Speed said.

"Tim can you hold on a minute while I get off this ladder."

"_Sure._" Speed said slightly confused.

"Okay, I'm down." Calleigh said.

_"What were you doing up a ladder?"_ Speed asked.

"There was a thread caught on top the fence, I needed a ladder to reach it." Calleigh explained. "It looks like it's from a sports bag, our bomb maker could have tossed it over the fence, I'll check on the other side of the fence for footprints, there aren't any this side. Did you find out anything about the origin of the sand?"

"_It's_ _from a quarry outside Vegas. I'm working on who imports it."_

"I found some sand where one of the buses was parked. It should match what you've got."

_"Horatio asked me to call you and ask you to get a list of who drives which bus route, specifically those eight that were picked."_

"The eight were all parked together last night it could have been luck of the draw."

_"We're going to work on the premise that it's possible the drivers of the two buses with the real bombs were the intended targets, the ones with sand in were just a rouge to throw us off."_

"I guess it's possible, I'll get the list."

_"Cal, Yelina went and told Horatio that you yelled at her."_

"She did what?" Calleigh raised her voice, Tripp through her a questioning glance. "I didn't yell at her, I raised my voice slightly but I didn't yell."

_"I explained that to H." _

"What did he say?"

_"Eric called before he really had a chance to say much._ _I don't think he was mad with you."_

"Great, I'll see you when I get back."

"_Bye." _They hung up.

"Everything okay?" Tripp asked.

"I really need to get back to the range."

"What did Yelina do now?" Tripp asked.

"How do you know this has anything to do with Yelina?" Calleigh asked.

"Calleigh you usually don't let things rile you, Yelina acting up is a pretty safe bet to get you mad."

"I'll handle it." Calleigh sighed.

"Just give me warning before you start shooting so I can duck."

"You got it." She got a red tag out of her kit and attached it to the wire of the fence.

"What's that for?" Tripp asked.

"So I can tell where the fibre was when we get around to the other side of the fence." Calleigh explained. "There could be shoe prints on the other side. I need to check the rest of the fence and around the outer perimeter. We also need to get a list of who drives which bus route before we go."

"I'll go and get it why you finish doing what you do."

"Thank you."

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Calleigh stood shooting off round after round of bullets into a target a fair distance from her. Firing the gun, put her in control, it gave her time to process her thoughts and to calm down.

She stopped to change clips and felt Horatio's presence behind her.

"Just let me shoot two more clips Horatio and we can talk and I'll get back to work." Calleigh said and started firing before Horatio had chance to say a word.

Once she had expelled all the rounds of bullets Calleigh made sure the chamber was empty, putting the safety on, she placed the gun down and took off her ear defenders.

"Nice groupings." Horatio commented.

Calleigh had emptied one clip at the head area, another at the heart and a final clip at the groin area of the body outline.

"Thanks." Calleigh said not sure what else to say. "I need to release some tension."

"Did it work?" Horatio asked.

"Maybe." Calleigh said.

"I heard about your run in with Yelina earlier."

"Whatever she said I didn't yell at her, I may have snapped and I'll apologise at a later date."

"Speed filled me in on what happened, it sounds as if you were justified in your actions." Horatio said.

"Excuse me?" Calleigh said not quite believing what he had just said.

"Yelina and I talked and I told her to back off. So hopefully she shouldn't cause you any more problems in future."

"Horatio, I don't want to make life difficult for you she is your family, I don't want to have to choose sides."

"Calleigh, Yelina will always be Ray Jr's mother and he and Madison are the only family I have left. And as I told Yelina this isn't about choosing sides it's about doing my job and as your boss it is my responsibility to make sure you don't have to work in a hostile environment. We'll finish our discussion about your research proposal later, but for now..."

"I found some sand." Calleigh blurted out.

"Sand?"

"At the bus depot. I gave it to Speed; it should match the kind that was in the bombs. The fingerprint cards are in the print lab being run against the prints we found. The photographs are in the process of being developed. I have a sketch of the area where the buses were parked to work with. I found a thread on the fence which someone is analysing, but no footprints. The security tapes are in the AV lab and I have the list of who worked which bus route."

"Sounds like you've been busy. I'll tell you what we're going to do, clean and put your gun away and then meet me in the AV lab. We'll check the security camera footage."

"Horatio." Calleigh said as he turned to leave. "Thank you for not being mad."

"There was nothing to be mad about. Any time you feel the need to take target practice keep it here and we'll be fine."

"Thank you." Calleigh whispered.

Calleigh sighed, they'd been watching the tape for over an hour and still didn't have anything useful and they still had 167 hours to go.

Both Calleigh and Horatio turned when the door opened.

"Your sand matches the sample from the bombs." Speed announced.

"Did you have any luck locating who imports it?" Horatio asked.

"No local importers." Speed replied. "I'm at a dead end."

"Maybe not." Calleigh said. "You said it came from a quarry just outside Las Vegas right?"

"Yes."

"Give me twenty minutes and I'll see if I can find someone to help us get that information." Calleigh smiled at got to her feet and walked out.

"Does she know something I don't?" Speed asked.

"It's not what you know, it's who you know." Horatio said.

Nick Stokes sat in the break room of the Las Vegas Crime Lab drinking coffee waiting for a call. Grissom had talked him into pulling a double to cover for someone who was too sick to come into work.

The phone rang and he got up to answer.

"CSI - Stokes." He answered.

"My name is Calleigh Duquesne, the woman I spoke to forward my call to this line, I was wondering if it's possible to talk to either Catherine Willows or Warrick Brown." Calleigh asked.

"They work the graveyard shift and won't be here for another five hours. Can I help or take a message?" Nick asked.

"I'm a CSI with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab, I was hoping for a little assistance getting some information from your neck of the woods."

"What kind of information?" Nick asked.

"We're working a case, a man placed eight bombs on school buses, only two real pipe bombs, and the other six were filled with sand." Calleigh explained.

"What does this have to Catherine or Warrick?" Nick asked.

"Nothing directly. We met a couple of years ago when they came to Miami on a case, a Chief of detectives was murdered and his wife and daughter kidnapped?"

"I remember now."

"I was hoping they could help me with a little research."

"What kind of research?" Nick asked.

"We traced the sand to a quarry on the outskirts of Las Vegas. We've gone through the importers and builders merchants here but no luck. I was hoping that maybe Catherine or Warrick could have gone to the quarry and asked if they had imported any sand to Miami. It might help us to catch him faster."

"I'm waiting on a case, so I've got time to drive out there. E-mail me the relevant details and I'll see what I can find out." Nick said, he gave her his e-mail address.

"Thank you." Calleigh replied.

"Do you always get what you want with that cute southern accent Ms Duquesne?" Nick asked.

"It's Detective Duquesne and not always. Do you always get your way with the Texas twang?"

"Not always and it's Nick. I'll give you a call as soon as I know anything."

"Thank you." Calleigh hung up.

"Okay I'm back." Calleigh said as she walked into the AV lab. Horatio and Speed had upped the speed of play back to get through the tapes faster.

"Did you find out who imported our sand?" Speed asked.

"No, but Nick is working on finding the information out for us." Calleigh replied.

"Who is Nick?" Horatio asked.

"Nick Stokes, he's a CSI with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. He's going to go out to the quarry and see what he can find for us." Calleigh explained.

"How do you know Stokes?" Speed asked.

"I don't, but Catherine Willows and Warrick Brown work the graveyard shift so they weren't there. Nick was waiting for something to do so he offered to help out. He'll call as soon as he has anything."

"While we're waiting on that information, keep processing what you have. I'll keep watching these tapes." Horatio said.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Nick finally got around to calling Calleigh back to let her know the information he had found out. He had been called to a scene on his way back from the quarry and it had taken time to process it.

"Calleigh Duquesne please." Nick said just as Warrick walked in. "Nick Stokes." He replied when they asked who was calling.

"Duquesne that name sounds familiar." Warrick said. Nick held up his hand to stop him from talking.

"Detective." Nick said. "Okay Calleigh... Sorry it took so long to get back to you but I got tied up on another case... I talked to them; they said they shipped a bag of sand to a Beaufort Haroldson... B-e-a-u-f-o-r-t, he was the only shipping to the whole state of Florida, Miami specifically... Apparently he'd gone the quarry, something to do with his job and got sand in his shoe; he came back and played in the casino won big, so he thought the sand was lucky... No problem happy to help. I'll fax you the copy of the shipping order... Bye." Nick hung up.

"Calleigh Duquesne, Miami." Warrick said. "Isn't she the cute blonde with the southern accent Catherine and I met a couple of years ago?"

"We met who a couple of years ago?" Catherine asked walking.

"Calleigh Duquesne." Warrick replied. "That case where we went to Miami, Nicky boy here was just talking to her on the phone."

"Oh really." Catherine said pouring herself some coffee "I didn't know you knew her."

"I don't." Nick replied. "She called here wanting to speak to either of you but since you weren't here I took the call."

"What did she want?" Catherine asked.

"Something about lucky sand." Warrick replied.

"Or not so lucky sand." Nick said. "They had a guy plant eight bombs on school buses this morning. Six were filled with sand from a quarry outside of Vegas. They couldn't find anyone who imported sand from their end so they called to ask if one of you go to the quarry and check it out for them. Since you weren't here I was happy to oblige. As for whether she was cute and blonde I wouldn't know, but she does have a cute accent."

"Nicky she lives half way across the country, and from what I remember I'm pretty sure she has a thing for her boss." Catherine said.

"Who has a thing for their boss?" Sara asked walking in.

"A CSI in Miami Nick was helping because he thought she had a cute accent." Warrick replied.

"Oh really." Sara smiled.

"What are you guys doing here anyway, shift doesn't start for another two hours?" Nick asked.

"Grissom called and asked us to come in early."

"And we know why you're still here after pulling a double." Warrick grinned.

"I'm going to fax this and go home and get some sleep." Nick said.

"Ah Nick, good your still here." Grissom said walking in. "Explains why I couldn't get an answer at your apartment."

"Griss, I can't work anymore I haven't slept in twenty-eight hours." Nick said.

"You're double ended hours ago."

"I was still processing a scene I only got back and finished logging the evidence an hour ago. I was just making a call to Miami before I went home."

"You should have waited until you got home to make personal calls." Grissom said.

"Wasn't a personal call. Miami-Dade Crime lab asked for our help with something. I have to fax this to them." He held up the paper he had in his hand.

"I still need you to work tonight, crash for a couple of hours and I see you at the start of your shift."

Nick sighed and walked out to fax the information to Calleigh.

"The man from Texas pulls through." Calleigh announced as she walked into the AV lab.

"You have a name on who got the sand." Horatio said.

"I can do you one better. I stopped by the print lab on the way back and had them run the prints against the records with the last one they were working through."

"We have a name."

"Beaufort Haroldson, worked for the school bus company as a mechanic for the last seven years, applied to become a driver but was turned down; the two bus routes that had the real bombs on were new hires since he was turned down. Fingerprints match."

"Where does the sand come in?" Horatio asked.

"He won big on the casino after going to the quarry, Nick said it was something to do with work, but a bus mechanic wouldn't have reason to go to a quarry, he had sand in his shoe and decided it was luck and had some sent to him. Only order that they had sent to Florida."

"I say it's time we went and paid Mr Haroldson a visit."

"Tripp's working on a warrant for his house right now." Calleigh said.

"Good job Cal." Horatio smiled.

"Thank you."

"Hey Cal." Eric said when he met them outside Haroldson's house. "First time I've seen you today."

"We'll we've been busy." Calleigh smiled. "But I think you and I need to have a discussion about your interesting use of language."

Horatio eyed them, he knew that Eric had told Calleigh something the previous evening but he wasn't exactly sure what.

"I was in the shower when Speed rang." Eric explained. "I was dripping water all over the carpet."

"I'm so glad I didn't have that information last night." Calleigh smiled.

"There's Tripp."

"I got the warrant." Tripp walked over.

"Good." Horatio took it from him and placed it in his inner pocket.

"So Cal, how did the target fair?" Tripp asked.

"Safely eliminated." Calleigh replied.

"Sounds dangerous." Eric commented.

"It was the target at the shooting range." Calleigh explained.

"Who were we aiming at today?"

"I guess you didn't hear about my little run in with Yelina earlier." Calleigh said.

"That would explain why Valera said Yelina almost bit her head off when she ran into her coming out the elevator earlier."

"Can we hold off this discussion until after we've searched Mr Haroldson's home?" Horatio asked.

"Sorry H." Eric apologised.

Horatio rang the bell.

"Yes." A gruff looking man came to the door.

"Beaufort Haroldson?" Horatio questioned.

"Yes who's asking?"

"Horatio Caine, Miami-Dade crime lab. We have a warrant to search your home."

"A warrant, what for?" Haroldson asked.

"Mr Haroldson we found hairs and fingerprints on the bombs that were planted on the school buses where you work. Fingerprints match yours."

"As does your specially imported lucky Las Vegas Sand." Calleigh said. "The sand that you're leaving a trail of on your carpet."

"It must not be so lucky." Eric commented.

"Frank..." Horatio prompted.

"You're under arrest." Tripp said and put the handcuffs on hip.

"Eric take the garage; call me if you find anything suspicious." Horatio instructed.

"You've got it H." Eric said.

"Cal, you're in the house with me."

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

"Tim I have something for you." Calleigh said walking into Trace.

"You shouldn't say that to a guy unless you can back it up Cal." He teased.

"How about some more sand?" Calleigh asked.

"Did you find anything else at the house?"

"Some tools, shredded paper with what looks like instructions on, sand, a sports bag with a tear in it, a couple spare components. It definitely looks like this is our guy." Calleigh smiled. "We took his computer and printer too."

"Let's make sure." He took the sand from her and put some of it under the microscope next to the sample they had collected from the bombs. "It's a visual match, that a look." He let Calleigh look through the microscope.

"Looks good to me."

"I'll have to run a few more tests to make sure it is definitely the Vegas sand not just something he picked up on the beach but this looks good."

"I have an appointment with some shredded paper, if you'll excuse me."

"Have fun." Tim smiled.

"Thank you." Calleigh smiled.

"Striations from the pliers and wire strippers match those on the wiring." Horatio said walking into the layout room where Calleigh was working. "What have you got?"

"Someone should tell Mr Haroldson that he should have paid the extra twenty dollars for the cross cutting shredder." Calleigh said. "He shredded a page at a time, so it was easy to piece together the information from layers of the shredder trash can. We have a component list, four pages of instructions on how to build a pipe bomb and this I think..." She said laying down another strip of paper. "Is instructions on how to install it."

"And the evidence mounts up."

"Jamie is going over his cookies file and seeing if he got the instructions from internet." Calleigh added.

"We have a conclusive match on the sand." Speed said walking in.

"And the fibres you found on the fence Cal, match those from the bag we found." Eric added.

"I think it's time we had a little chat with Mr Haroldson. Eric."

"Yes H?"

"You're with me. Calleigh keeping putting your puzzle together and Speed go and see how Jamie is getting along." Horatio instructed.

Calleigh yawned, it had been a long day and after having been up most of the night she was exhausted. Her shift had ended for a few hours before and after Horatio got a confession from Haroldson she decided that her report could wait until the following day.

She collected her things from her locker and walked to the elevator, when she stepped inside she found Alexx was already in the elevator.

"Hey Calleigh." Alexx said.

"Hey Alexx." Calleigh yawned.

"Late night?" Alexx knew what time Calleigh had left her house the night before.

"I didn't get much sleep last night; I was taking your advice and figuring out where I stood."

"I see and how did your breakfast with Horatio go?"

"We cleared the air and talked in terms of science experiments." Calleigh

"Science experiments?" Alexx questioned.

"We carried the conversation in the terms I set last night. Science is something we can both understand."

"How did the conversation end?"

"I told where I stood and before he could say anything he got called to defuse a bomb on one of the school buses. We've spent all day working to catch the guy who did it. Fortunately he is now in custody."

"So you're no clearer where you stand with Horatio than you were last night?" Alexx surmised.

"He didn't get mad when he found out that I told Yelina to stay away from me."

"Go girl." Alexx teased. "What happened?"

"She came in looking for him while I was talking to Tim and made a comment that it was good to see I was wearing my own clothes today. I may have snapped slightly and told her that if she should talk to Horatio, and to stay away from me unless we had the misfortune to be working a case together."

"I'm proud of you sweetheart." Alexx smiled.

"Then Yelina went and told Horatio that I yelled at her. But fortunately Tim explained what happened to him."

"She had it coming."

"We caught our bomb maker now I'm going home to catch up on some sleep."

"Calleigh, just one question."

"What's that?" Calleigh asked.

"Why aren't you going and talking to Horatio to find out what his response was?"

"He knows where I am." Calleigh replied. "I took the first step; I need him to at least meet me half way."

"Calleigh, he's male you need to hit him over the head with a club." Calleigh laughed. "I'm serious, I think they were wrong when they said that cavemen used to hit women over the head and drag them back to their caves, I think it was the women who did the hitting to get the men to pay attention."

"You could be right." Calleigh had to agree.

"Go and do something proactive." Alexx suggested.

"I'll give him forty-eight hours to see if he takes a step. Then I'll find a club."

"Try something short, low cut and with high heels."

"Alexx Woods does your husband know about this side of you?"

"Of course, how do you think I got him to propose in three months? Getting the reaction you described last night when you kiss some one is very rare, and when you find it you have to hold onto them. Nothing gets a man's attention like short skirts."

"I'll take that under advisement and if it doesn't work out I can always apply for a job in Las Vegas. I was talking to a CSI with a very cute Texas accent earlier."

"If it doesn't work, I'll find a club and hit him over the head." Alexx said. "I know a few people who know how to hid evidence."

"I wouldn't know who you mean." Calleigh joked. "This elevator is taking a long time."

"I pulled the emergency stop button because I wanted to talk to you." Alexx said as she pushed the button to restart the elevator.

"How did I not notice that?"

"You were telling me about Yelina." Alexx said. "I'll see you tomorrow Calleigh." Alexx said when the elevator doors open.

"Have a nice evening." Calleigh said.

"You too and think about what I said."

"I will."

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Calleigh tossed and turned for most of the night, but finally sank into a deep sleep a few hours before she had to get up to get ready for work.

Calleigh received her coffee order when her cell phone rang.

"Duquesne." Calleigh answered.

"Cal, it's Speed. There was a shoot out in an alley, one dead. Lots of bullets."

"Sounds like my kind of case. Where?" Speed gave her the address. "I'll be there in ten minutes." She hung up.

"You weren't kidding when you said there were a lot of bullets." Calleigh said as she surveyed the scene.

"I wouldn't joke about something like with you." Speed smiled. "You take the bullets and the casings and I'll take everything else?" He proposed.

"Works for me. This could take a while."

"We've got all shift. H said he and Eric would handle everything else." Speed replied.

"You've spoken to him this morning?" Calleigh questioned.

"I went in early to finish my report." Speed explained. "Did the two of you work things out?"

"He's thinking over my research proposal." Calleigh replied.

"Is that some kind of euphemism?"

"Yes." Calleigh acknowledged. "I told him where I stood and we were interrupted before I found out his perspective."

"I see."

"He's had twenty-four hours; he gets another twenty-four before I take Alexx's suggestion." Calleigh said.

"What did Alexx suggest?" Speed asked.

"Get her to tell you her caveman theory one day." Calleigh smiled.

"Caveman theory?"

"Well technically I would guess it's cavewoman theory but it's an interesting idea. We have a crime scene to process."

"Ladies first." He said lifting the crime scene tape for her.

"Ever the gentleman."

"How's it going?" Speed asked Calleigh, he'd finished process his part of the scene.

"Four guns. One fully automatic machine gun, see where the bullets struck the wall in a sweeping curve."

"They've got to be over seven feet up." Speed commented. "So either one off them was giving a run for the tallest man, or it was a warning."

"Very good." Calleigh said. "That would be my interpretation too. If you're done you can help me extract them while I get the lower ones, I've already bagged all the cases and bullets that it the ground."

"Okay."

Calleigh sighed and rubbed her eyes. She'd been running the 103 bullets, matching which ones came from which gun, ever since she got back to the lab.

"Tough day?" Eric asked walking in.

"Oh hey Eric." Calleigh looked up.

"You look tired." Eric said.

"I love my job, but spending hours looking down a microscope can be too much sometimes."

"How do you feel about Mexican?" Eric suggested.

"As in food, I love it why?"

"Speed and I are headed to the Mexican restaurant for lunch; we wanted to know if you wanted to come."

"I need to put these away first."

"Speed has to finish running a test anyway, so we'll meet you in the parking lot in twenty minutes."

"Sounds good to me." Calleigh smiled.

"And maybe you can explain Alexx's cavewoman theory to us."

"Ask Alexx." Calleigh suggested.

"So you're really not going to tell us her theory?" Eric said after they had eaten.

"You two don't give up do you?" Calleigh challenged.

"It's what makes us good CSI's." Eric said.

"Let's just say Alexx has an interesting interpretation of what constitutions a club and who is doing the clubbing."

"You learn something new everyday." Speed joked.

"Alexx definitely has a side to her we've never seen." Calleigh agreed.

"Who would have thought?" Eric teased.

"As much fun as this is, I have plenty of bullets waiting for me back at the lab."

"How's that going?" Speed asked.

"Four guns, I'm matching the bullets and logging them into the computer. We should be able to get some results but until we get a name on the deceased or find a gun for me to match the bullets to, it's not going to be much help."

"We do what we can." Speed said.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

"One hundred plus bullets from four guns, with their trajectories matched." Calleigh said as she walked up to Speed. "I ran all the bullets through all the databases, no matches."

"I ran everything from the victim and from what I found at the scene, no correlation."

"Does he have a name yet?" Calleigh asked.

"No. I ran his fingerprints through, no matches. He hasn't been reported missing, but he looks the type that wouldn't be missed and he's only been dead twelve hours."

"I matched the bullet Alex sent over, it was from the Desert Eagle."

"I guess we're at a stand still." Speed said.

"Looks that way." Calleigh had to agree. "We can't do anything until we get a name or a gun for me to match the bullets to and its owner."

"That leaves writing up our reports and leaving the case open pending further information."

"That's going to take a couple of hours. Good thing I have the day off tomorrow."

"Any plans?"

"Sleeping and finding an appropriate size club." Calleigh replied.

"Good luck with the club thing, I still don't fully understand it but it should be interesting to see H's face the day after."

"Why Timothy Speedle I have no idea what you mean." Calleigh teased her accent thicker.

"And I'm the Easter Bunny."

"I'd like a Godiva egg this year." Calleigh said. "I'll be in ballistics if you need me."

"See you later Cal."

Calleigh signed her name with a flourish on the bottom of both of her reports, the one from today and the one from the bus bomber case and made sure that the chain of custody information was correct before boxing up the bullets and taking them and handing them into evidence.

She took her reports and walked up the stairs to Horatio's office. She knocked on the door but there was no answer so she walked in and put the reports on the middle of the desk where he would see them. She grabbed a post it not and scribbled a quick message on it before sticking it on the front of the top report.

She closed the door behind her and started to walk down the stairs.

"Calleigh." Horatio said when she reached the bottom.

"Horatio." Calleigh smiled. "Umm... I left my reports on your desk since you weren't in your office."

"Thanks. How did your alley shooting turn out?"

"103 bullets logged from four guns, include an automatic machine gun and a Desert Eagle. But there is no match on the database and the victim is as of yet a John Doe. Tim and I have done all we can until we get some more information."

"Okay good work." He started up the stairs.

"Horatio." Calleigh said.

"Yes Cal?" He stopped and turned.

"We still need to talk."

"I know." Horatio agreed.

"Do you have plans after work tomorrow?" Calleigh asked.

"Not at the moment, why?"

"Do you want to come over for dinner? I have the day off and..."

"I'd like that."

"Okay, I'm going to go home now. Let me know if you're going to be late."

"Okay." Horatio agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow, have a good evening."

"You too." Calleigh sighed after she turned to walk to the locker room to get her things.

"Hey Cal." Eric said.

"Hey Eric. Have a good afternoon?" Calleigh asked.

"I almost go bitten by a gator, when we had to tow a car out of the water."

"Ouch."

"We should get hazard pay." Eric joked.

"You know you love it, the danger is an adrenaline rush." Calleigh said.

"True."

"So why did the car end up in the water?"

"Someone cut the break line; driver was lucky someone saw him go off the road and went in to help pull him out."

"Find out who?" Calleigh asked.

"That's the job for tomorrow."

"Have fun with that while I enjoy my day off."

"Day off, I think I remember that term."

"You had the whole of last weekend off."

"That was because my sister decided she was getting married and we had to spend the weekend talking her out of it."

"Why shouldn't your sister get married?" Calleigh questioned.

"The guy was 64." Eric said.

"Okay, I can see why you'd have a problem with that." Calleigh smiled.

"My mother almost had a heart attack when she found out."

"I'll bet. I'll see you on Friday." Calleigh closed her locker.

"Yeah Cal, enjoy your day off."

"I will."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Calleigh got up and decided to make an early start knowing shopping for a dress that would make the perfect club would take sometime.

She transferred all the necessary items into one of her larger purses and added a bottle of water as she often got dehydrated while shopping in the heat of Miami.

Calleigh preferred boutiques to the mall when shopping alone. At the first store she tried on a tight fitting red, short skirted, low cut dress.

Calleigh laughed when she saw herself in the mirror. The dress would certainly get Horatio's attention and that of every other red blooded heterosexual male who had a pulse but for all the wrong reasons, she looked like a hooker. A high-priced hooker, Calleigh reasoned, but still a hooker and that was not a look she wanted to portray.

After a few hours of shopping Calleigh found the perfect black dress, after recalling Horatio liked her in black. It fell to just above her knees and the top was low enough to show just enough cleavage to get someone's attention but low enough to be obscene. Calleigh reasoned that the cost of the dress was worth and if Horatio didn't pay attention she could wear it to the CSI Christmas party.

Calleigh paid for the dress and was heading for the door.

"Oh my god, they are robbing the bank." A woman exclaimed.

"Excuse me ma'am, what was that?" The police officer instinct in her kicked in.

"Three men in ski-masks with guns just ran into the bank across the street."

"Are you sure?" Calleigh questioned.

"See that man is waiting with the engine running." She pointed out. "Someone better call 911."

"I've got it." Calleigh took her cell phone off her belt and dialled the number for dispatch.

"_Dispatch." _The woman dispatcher answered.

"This is Detective Duquesne, from the crime lab. There is a 3-29 in progress at the Citibank on W Flagler Street." She put her hand over the mouth piece and turned to the store clerk. "What's the number of the bank building?"

"7795." She replied.

"At 7795 W Flagler Street. Three suspects entered with guns of some description report from civilian, another waiting the car. Licence plate." Calleigh read them the licence plate number.

"10-4, Detective. Back up on way Code No 2."

"10-5 Lieutenant Caine."

"10-4."

Calleigh hung up. She reached into her purse glad for some reason she had put her badge, handcuffs and gun in there in case she got called into work.

"Both of you stay here, can you hold on to my purse?" Calleigh asked putting her badge on her belt under her jacket and slipping her gun in the back of her pants so it couldn't be seen.

"Of course." The shop assistant said taking them from her. "Where are you going?"

"To do my job. The police will need to talk to you ma'am so stay here."

"Okay Detective."

"H." Speed said coming over where Horatio had just finished a phone call to Alexx.

"What is it Speed?" Horatio asked.

"H dispatch was trying to get a hold of you, when they could they called me."

"Did they say why?" Horatio asked.

"Something about Calleigh and a bank robbery." Speed replied.

"It's her day off." Horatio said as he dialled the number for dispatch. "This is Horatio Caine."

"Lieutenant." The dispatcher replied. "Detective Duquesne asked us to let you know that she called in a 3-29."

"Where?" Horatio asked.

"7795 W Flagler Street, Citibank." The dispatcher replied.

"I'm heading over there."

"Copy that." The dispatcher said.

Horatio hung up.

"What's going on?" Speed asked.

"Calleigh called in a bank robbery; I'm going over there to check it out. Can you handle things here?"

"Of course."

"Alexx had a flat tire, one of the PD is changing it for her and she'll be here soon." Horatio told him.

"Tell Calleigh she's supposed to take things easy on her day off."

"Will do."

"Excuse me." Calleigh said making her accent even more apparent as she bent down to look in the open window of the get away car. "I hate to bother you but I'm here on vacation and a little lost I was wondering if..."

"Listen lady, I don't have time to give directions. I'm just waiting for my friends who went into the bank." The getaway car driver said. Calleigh reached in and grabbed the keys. "Hey lady what do you think you're doing?"

"Miami Dade police put your hands on your head." Calleigh drew her gun.

"You're a cop?"

"And a really good shot." Calleigh replied. "Slowly get out of the car." Calleigh opened the door while keeping her gun trained on him.

He slowly slipped out of the car. Calleigh moved him until he was out of the direct line of view of the window and pushed him against the wall.

"You're under arrest." Calleigh said as she put the handcuffs on.

The PD department had just pulled up.

"Detective Duquesne."

"Get away driver." Calleigh handed him over.

"SWAT is on there way."

"Do you know if dispatch got a hold of Lieutenant Caine?" Calleigh asked.

"He's on his way too."

TBC

A/N: According to the Dade County 10 code : 3-29 – Emergency Hold Up

10-4 – Copy that.

10-5 – Relay to ...

Code No 2. – Blue Lights only


	15. Chapter 15

"So what do you want us to do?" One of the officers asked Calleigh.

"Why are you asking me?" Calleigh said turning to look at him.

"You were the first here and you know more about the situation than we do. So you're in charge." He replied. "And you're a detective."

"I have two problems with that." Calleigh said looking over her shoulder to check out activity behind her. "One I'm a CSI. I investigate crime scenes after the crime has taken place. I did a couple hours with SWAT because I'm a ballistics expert and a case required it. And two, it's my day off, I was shopping across the street."

"Until SWAT gets here you're in charge." The officer said.

"Okay, just get everybody off the street as quickly and quietly as possible." Calleigh instructed. "And hope that they don't come out before SWAT gets here." Calleigh added under her breath.

Fortunately the SWAT team arrived a minute later and Calleigh could step back and let them take over.

It was all over when Horatio arrived five minutes later. The three bank robbers had run out straight into the waiting clutches of the SWAT team and had surrendered their guns and their lot. Inside no one had been hurt, but plenty had been disturbed.

Horatio stopped one of the SWAT officers.

"I'm looking for Calleigh Duquesne." Horatio said.

"I should know that name." The SWAT man replied. "Description?"

"Detective, CSI, blonde, southern accent." Horatio replied.

"I think she went inside the bank, something about preserving the scene."

"That would be Calleigh. Thank you."

"Horatio Caine, what are you doing here?" James Babbitt asked as Horatio walked towards the building.

"Dispatch called one of my CSI's was first on the scene."

"All the lovely Calleigh Duquesne. She's inside."

"So I heard. Everything sorted out here?"

"Four in custody, the three who robbed the bank who SWAT took custody off and the wheelman who Calleigh took into custody while as the first squad car pulled up."

"Calleigh?" Horatio titled his head and looked at him.

"Calleigh. She's inside taking a look around."

"Thank you." Horatio said before walking towards the building.

"Don't touch anything." Calleigh said. "This is a crime scene."

"Cal if you wanted to work on your day off, you could have just come in." Horatio took off his sunglasses.

"Horatio." Calleigh turned and smiled. "You didn't have to come down here."

"I had a call from dispatch that you asked them to tell me you were here."

"That was in case something happened and the scene... If you even touch that one plant I'll have to arrest you for tampering with a crime scene." Calleigh warned the officer who was about to right a plant that had fallen over.

The officer raised his hands and back away.

"Thank you."

"Now you've preserved the crime scene and the bank robbers are in custody do you want to help me process it?"

"I need to go and get my purse and shopping from the store across the street." Calleigh replied.

"So that's why you were in the area." Horatio said.

"Yes."

"Do you want to tell me about the getaway driver?"

"Unconsciously I put my gun, badge and handcuffs in my purse this morning when I left the house this morning. After I called it in, I walked across the street; the driver had his window open and the engine running. I told him I was on vacation and lost and started to ask for directions. He interrupted and told he didn't have time and that he was waiting for his friends in the bank."

"I see." Horatio said.

"I took his keys into my possession, he asked what I thought I was doing, and I informed him I was with the police department and then drew my weapon and instructed him to put his hands on his head. I kept my gun trained on him and opened the car door and instructed him to get out of the car, I informed him he was under arrest and put him in handcuffs and then handed him over to Officer Green to pat him down and to detain him."

"That was an unwise course of action Cal; you didn't have back up when you approached the vehicle."

"I saw the blue flashing lights coming up the street. Horatio like I told you and Tim and Eric I can take care of myself." Calleigh insisted.

"In future wait for back up."

"Okay." Calleigh agreed. "I'm going to get my purse."

Calleigh and Horatio photographed and document the scene which would aid in the DA's case against the bank robbers.

"I think that is everything." Calleigh said when she bagged the security camera tapes and handed them to Horatio.

"Thank you for your assistance." Horatio said.

"Is there anything else?" Calleigh asked.

"Write up your account of the incident and submit it. I'll see you later."

"Are you still coming over for dinner?" Calleigh asked.

"Am I still invited?" Horatio questioned.

"Of course."

"Then I'm still coming."

"Have a nice afternoon." Calleigh said before turning and leaving the scene.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Calleigh was putting the finishing touches to the dessert she had made when the doorbell rang. She smoothed down the skirt of her dress before walking to answer it.

"Horatio." She smiled as she opened the door. "You're right on time."

"I feel underdressed." Horatio said.

"I was just trying on the dress I bought today, what do you think?" Calleigh asked.

"You look great Cal."

"Thank you." She smiled. "Maybe you should come in."

"Thank you."

"And lose the sunglasses." Calleigh suggested as she closed the door. Horatio took off his sunglasses and put them in his pocket. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine."

"Ice tea?" Calleigh questioned.

"Sounds great."

"Make yourself at home and I'll be right back."

Horatio looked around Calleigh's apartment; he had been there several times but only as part of a group. He scanned the bookshelves; the throw on the back of the couch, the room was very decidedly Calleigh.

"You can process the place if you want but I'm not sure you'd find anything interesting." Calleigh said after observing him for a minute. It was the looking he got when he was surveying a crime scene.

"I'm sorry did you say something?" Horatio asked.

"I said you can get out the luminal and the ALS if you want but I doubt you'd find much except when maybe some blood when I cut my toe walking into the coffee table in the dark." Horatio gave her a curious look. "You had the look you get when you're trying to figure out what happened at a crime scene." Calleigh explained.

"I see."

"Ice tea." She held out the glass to him.

"Thank you." He said taking it.

"Dinner should be another ten minutes; I turned down the temperature in case you got held up. Do you want to sit down?"

Horatio walked over and sat down.

"Did I miss anything interesting today?"

"No." Horatio replied.

"You know Horatio it's easier to have a conversation if you can muster the ability to string more than one or two words."

"I'm sorry Cal, this seems a little awkward."

"Horatio you know where I stand on this and you've had 58 hours to think this over. I just need to know one way or the other so we can get back to some semblance of normality."

"Cal, I..." The phone ringing interrupted what he was about to say.

"Hold that thought." Calleigh put her glass on the table and got up and walked over and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"_Calleigh, it's Rob from the Bass House Bar, your father is here." _

"How long has he been there?"

"_A couple of hours I think. I just started my shift; the new girl didn't know to cut him off after a couple of drinks."_

"I'll be right there to pick him up."

"_I'm sorry to have disturbed your evening." _

"It comes with the territory and I wouldn't have given you my number if I didn't want you to call. I'll be twenty minutes and try to give him some coffee."

_"We're working on that now." _Rob assured her.

_"_Thank you for calling me." Calleigh hung up. She sighed before turned around. "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to take a rain check on dinner."

"Is everything okay Cal?" Horatio asked.

"Umm, I have to go." She moved to grab her purse and then realised what she had on. "I have to change." She started to head towards her bedroom. "Why did I listen to Alexx?" She muttered under her breath.

"Calleigh." Horatio said putting his hand on her arm to stop her.

"Horatio I don't have time right now."

"Tell me what's going on."

"My father is an alcoholic and is drunk in a bar, I have to go and pick him up again. Is that enough information for you? I have to get out of this ridiculous dress that I shouldn't have bought and go and pick him up. I'm sorry about dinner; I'll see you at work tomorrow." She wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Calleigh, I'm going to tell you what we're going to do okay? You're going to change out of that dress, which by the way, you look great in."

"You should have seen the one that made me look like a hooker." Calleigh mumbled.

"You're going to change and I'm going to switch off the oven, then I'm going to drive you to pick up your father okay?"

"Horatio, my dysfunctional family isn't your problem."

"Calleigh, I know this isn't the best time to say this but, I care about you and I want to help you out with your research." He tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "Go and change and we'll go and get your father."

"Horatio..." Calleigh started to say.

"It'll be okay Cal." He kissed her forehead. "Hurry up."

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

"Just wait here." Calleigh said when they walked into the bar. Horatio nodded and Calleigh walked over to the bar. "Hey Rob."

"Calleigh." Rob came over. "Who is your friend?" He nodded in Horatio's direction as he dried a glass.

"My boss, we were supposed to be having dinner, it's going cold half cooked in my oven." Calleigh replied glancing over her shoulder at Horatio.

"Date?" Rob questioned.

"Was trying to be."

"I'm sorry I called and interrupted." Rob apologised.

"Where is he?"

"The corner." Rob pointed out. "We've feed him a couple cups of coffee, so he's lucid as possible. He knows you were coming to pick him up."

"Does he owe anything on his bar bill?" Calleigh asked.

"Twenty-three fifty." Rob replied. "We'll throw the coffee in for few."

"Thanks Rob." Calleigh handed over some money. "Keep the change. I'll get him out of here."

"No problem Calleigh."

"Hey Daddy." Calleigh walked over.

"Lamb chop." Kenwall Duquesne greeted her.

"Daddy why do you keep doing this? Come on I'll drive you home."

"Lamb chop, what are you doing here?"

"I'm driving you home. Come on lets put your jacket on." Calleigh picked up his suit jacket and held it out so he could slip his arms in.

He slipped his arms in. Calleigh smoothed out the lapels before taking his arm to make sure he stayed upright.

"Everything okay Cal?" Horatio asked.

"Horatio this is my father Kenwall Duquesne, Daddy this is Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

"Lieutenant?" Kenwall said. "Do you work with my little lamb chop?"

"That's right Mr Duquesne. I'm going to give you and Calleigh a ride home is that okay with you?"

"Sure, more the merrier." Kenwall said.

"Let's take it slowly so we don't trip."

Calleigh stood back and watched as Horatio escorted her father to the car.

"Calleigh are you coming?" Horatio asked over his shoulder.

Calleigh walked over and slipped in the back seat next to her father.

"Here Daddy you need to take these and drink all this water before you go to sleep." Calleigh said holding out two aspirin and a glass of water.

"Lamb chop."

"Daddy please?" Calleigh begged. He reluctantly took the aspirin and down with the water. "Now lie down and go to sleep. I've left the bin next to the bed in case you need to throw up." Calleigh tucked him in and dropped a kiss on his forehead.

She switched of the light and closed the door when she left his room.

"Is everything okay?" Horatio asked.

"He's going to sleep. He'll sleep through until the morning. We can leave now." Calleigh said.

"Are you sure?" Horatio questioned. "I don't mind staying for a while."

"He gets drunk and then he sleeps it off. It's his M.O. He'll be fine. Let me get my purse."

"Can we stop?" Calleigh asked as they drove along the beach towards her apartment. "I need some air."

"Of course." Horatio pulled over. Calleigh hopped out while he locked the door and walked down the shore. "Do you want to talk about it?" Horatio offered.

"What's there to talk about?" Calleigh asked. "He's an alcoholic."

"Has he tried AA?"

"Eight times, he even managed a couple of months sober in a row, then he lost a big case and he started drinking again."

"How long has he been drinking?" Horatio asked.

"For as long as I can remember. I've spent years trying to protect my brothers from it. But I guess that my mother and I were just enabling him."

"Cal, he's your father for good or for bad."

"I know and you can stop an addict unless they want to stop, I know. But it doesn't make it any easier." Calleigh sighed.

"How often do you have to go and pick him up?" Horatio asked.

"Once every couple of weeks. Most of the bars in the area know not to give him more than a couple drinks. He threatens to sue them for breach of his human rights if they don't serve him one drink at least and they know to call me if he gets very drunk."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because he's my father, I need to deal with it. It doesn't affect how I do my job."

"I'm not saying it does, but we're all here for you. I'm here for you."

"Thank you." Calleigh smiled.

"Come here." Horatio wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. Calleigh's stomach rumbled.

"That's embarrassing."

"I guess we missed dinner." Horatio said.

"The only thing edible would be desert." Calleigh said.

"How about we pick up some take out?" Horatio suggested pushing a hair behind her ear. "We have some research to discuss."

"I'd like that." Calleigh smiled.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

"Good morning Alexx. I heard you called for a CSI?" Calleigh said as she walked into autopsy.

"Calleigh." Alexx looked up from where she was finishing stapling the man she had just autopsied back together. "How did dinner with Horatio go last night?"

"Not as I planned, actually the whole day didn't go as planned."

"What happened?" Alexx inquired.

"I went shopping and ended up getting involved in arresting some bank robbers, then having to process the bank."

"Sounds like an interesting way to spend your day off. But tell about dinner."

"We didn't get to eat it."

"Oh really." Alexx said raising her eyebrows.

"We had to go and pick my Dad up from a bar. He was drunk." Calleigh explained.

"Oh."

"Horatio was actually great about the whole thing. He helped me get him home and into bed."

"That's our Horatio for you."

"But after that we got take out since dinner was ruined and we talked." Calleigh said.

"How did that go?" Alexx asked.

"We're going to take things slowly and see where it goes." Calleigh replied.

"Then I say my work here is done." Alexx smiled.

"You didn't call me over here to interrogate me did you?" Calleigh questioned.

"As much fun as this has been no. This is Travis Makepeace; he died of a heart attack while visiting a friend at Jackson Memorial."

"A heart attack is natural causes, why do you want CSI involved?" Calleigh asked.

"Because I found these in his stomach." Alexx held up a glass beaker.

"Those are bullets Alexx." Calleigh said taking the glass from her.

"Six of them." Alexx confirmed.

"They haven't been fired Alexx." Calleigh said examining one.

"That's more your area than mine Calleigh." Alexx said.

"He swallowed six albeit small calibre bullets? Why would anyone do that on purpose?"

"I don't know that's why I thought CSI should be involved. Unfortunately he can't give us answers can you sweetheart?"

"And it was definitely a heart attack that killed him?" Calleigh questioned.

"Yes. But the knowledge you have six bullets in your stomach would be enough to induce a heart attack in most people. I sent a sample of his blood to toxicology I'll let you when I get the results back."

"Thanks Alexx." Calleigh said.

"Can you tell me who Mr Makepeace was visiting?" Calleigh asked over the phone.

"I'm afraid we can't give out that information." The nurse on the other end replied. "But I can tell you they signed out against medical advice soon after Mr Makepeace died."

"Okay thank you." Calleigh hung up with a sigh.

"Calleigh." Adele said walking into the room.

"Did we get the warrant?" Calleigh asked.

"The judge said there wasn't enough cause, the guy died of a heart attack. Searching his house just he had six bullets in his stomach is overkill. His words not mine."

"Okay thanks for trying Adele." Calleigh said.

"Call me if you think of anything else." Adele said.

"I will." Calleigh smiled.

Calleigh poured herself some coffee and sank down into a chair and flipped through a forensics journal trying to figure out if there was anything else she could do.

"Hey Cal." Eric said as he walked in and poured himself some coffee. "How's it going?"

"Let me ask you a question."

"Is this going to be a hypothetical question or one of those questions women ask where you can't be right whatever you answer?" Eric asked.

"It's about a case."

"Okay shoot." Eric pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Shoot is a good phrase to use since it involves bullets."

"Bullets are your area of expertise Cal."

"It's not that kind of question."

"Okay." Eric looked at her slightly confused.

"Alexx has a 43 year old who died of a heart attack while visiting a friend at a hospital in autopsy."

"What's that got to do with bullets?" Eric asked.

"He had six small calibre bullets in his stomach."

"He shot himself in six times and then had a heart attack."

"The bullets hadn't been fired. He'd just swallowed them."

"That's a strange thing to do." Eric said.

"What's a strange thing to do?" Speed asked walking in.

"Swallowing six bullets." Eric replied.

"Who swallowed six bullets?" Speed questioned.

"A guy Alexx has in autopsy." Eric explained.

"But he died of a heart attack."

"That is strange." Speed agreed. "Do you want some help investigating?"

"The hospital won't tell me who he was visiting other than the fact that they checked out AMA straight after he died. He has no living family and was a freelance illustrator and the judge says we can't get a warrant to search his house because he died of natural causes and his house has no direct neighbours. So I'm at an impasse."

"Sometimes you have to let cases like this go and know you'll never solve them." Speed said.

"Doesn't anyone have any work to be doing?" Horatio asked walking in.

"We were helping Calleigh out with her impasse." Eric replied.

"What kind of impasse?" Horatio inquired.

"Alexx has a 43 male who died of a heart attack, but had six unfired bullets in his stomach. There is no one to talk to and we can't get a warrant to search his house." Calleigh explained.

"Sometimes those questions are unanswerable." Horatio said.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

"I'm going to look at the bullets again. There has to be something more to this I'm missing." Calleigh said pushing her chair back. "I'll be in ballistics." She gave Horatio a look before she walked out.

"Are you going to let Calleigh keeping working it?" Eric asked.

"Speed, anymore on your DB in the alley?" Horatio asked.

"Still no ID. We're no further than a couple days ago." Speed admitted.

"Calleigh can keep working her hunch until another call comes, then you and she take it Speed."

"You got it H."

"Eric where are we with our car?"

"I printed it, but the water washed away any evidence other than a few cut marks on the break line. Mr Gardner is coming in about 15 minutes; he was released after being kept in for observation."

Calleigh sat studying the bullets for marks or something to distinguish them. After twenty minutes she noticed an imperfection in the join. She took the bullet and careful pullet it out. Instead of the expected gun powder, a fine white powder fell out.

She examined a sample of the powder under the microscope before taking it to be analysed.

"Don't people use condoms anymore these days?" She muttered as she read the readout of the results.

"Looking at the number of AIDS cases and unplanned pregnancies probably not." Speed answered her question.

Calleigh jumped slightly as she hadn't been expecting anyone.

"Tim you scared me."

"Sorry Cal. You find something in your bullet case?" Speed asked.

"Cocaine." Calleigh replied.

"You found cocaine residue on the bullets?" Speed questioned.

"No in a bullet." Calleigh corrected. "Someone packed at least one of those bullets with something other than the necessary to fire them."

"I'm guessing he wasn't planning on going through any metal detectors." Speed said. "So you can say he wasn't flying out of the country."

"But why put cocaine in bullets at all?" Calleigh asked.

"Less chance of them leaking?" Speed suggested.

"You know this may make the judge change his mind about the warrant." Calleigh pointed out.

"Do you want help processing his house?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Aren't you working on something else?"

"The guy in the alley is still cold, we can't do anymore until the PD find out who he is and the guy walked into a police to confess to the case I was working yesterday. Horatio said we should take whatever comes up first, so I'm all yours."

"Don't you know how to make a girl's heart flutter." Calleigh smiled. "Call Adele and get her to go back to the judge and get a warrant. I'm going to talk to Alexx about this guy's tox screen."

"Hey Alexx." Calleigh said as she walked into autopsy.

"Calleigh, I was just about to call you sugar."

"The tox screen came back." Calleigh said.

"Yes. Apart from large amounts of antacid and the drugs they gave him when they were trying to revive him he's clean."

"No traces of anything more illegal?" Calleigh questioned.

"No, why do you ask?"

"The bullets, well at least one of them is full of cocaine."

"That's one way of getting a bang for your buck."

"It should give us enough to get a warrant to check his house which we couldn't get before." Calleigh said.

"Why would you fill bullets with cocaine anyway, condoms are easier to swallow? Even though they have had a higher chance of disintegrating."

"That maybe a question we never find an answer too, but I'm not going to let me stop trying." Calleigh assured.

"Let me know if you find out it's an intriguing puzzle."

"Will do."

"Calleigh did you find anything on your bullets?" Horatio asked as he saw her walk past.

"They are filled with cocaine."

"Cal, Adele got the warrant." Speed called from down the hall. "She'll meet us there."

"We've got to go, I'll see you later." Calleigh smiled.

"Let me know if you come up with anything."

"I'm on my pager if you need me."

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

"Hey Adelle." Calleigh said as she and Speed got out the hummer at the home of man who swallowed the bullets.

"Bullets full of cocaine?" Adelle questioned.

"We've seen stranger things." Calleigh smiled.

"You should have seen Judge Macintyre's face when I told him." Adelle chuckled.

"I'll bet."

"Miami-Dade Police." Adelle said as she pounded on the door in case there was anyone inside.

"I got his keys from his personal effects." Tim said bringing out an envelope.

"Do you smell something?" Calleigh asked.

"Maybe." Speed replied.

Adelle took the keys and opened the door.

"Oh my god." She put her hand over her mouth. "I think something died in there."

"Miami-Dade police." Calleigh called setting down her kit and taking out her gun out. She nodded to the uniformed officer who had accompanied them to go in so they could start to clear the building.

They cleared the building working systematically.

Calleigh pushed open the door to final room which was the kitchen. The stench was worse in there; she cleared the room and located what was making the smell.

"Tim, you're going to need to see this." Calleigh called.

"What is it Cal?" Speed asked entering the kitchen. "This room is definitely the source of smell."

"Dead bodies will do that." Calleigh lifted the edge of the table cloth after putting gloves on to reveal a naked dead Caucasian woman she had obviously been shot right between the eyes there were bruises around her neck.

"I'll call Alexx."

"I'll start photographing the place." Calleigh said standing.

"Did you figure out what the smell was?" Adelle asked when she came outside to get her kit.

"Dead woman under the table. She's been dead a couple days at least. Close range gun shot between the eyes. Bruise as if some had tried to strangle her. Alexx will be able to tell us more when she gets here."

"If you hadn't been persistent about those bullets she probably wouldn't have been found until they came to liquidate this guy's estate. I'll call it in."

"Tim's going to take care of it. Can you get the whole building taped off for us? We're going to be here a while."

"Of course."

"Timothy." Alexx said as she walked into the house.

"Hey Alexx."

"You have a body for me?" Alexx questioned.

"Last door on the left. Calleigh's in there process the scene."

"Thank you." Alexx walked back and pushed open the door. "Hey Calleigh."

"Hey Alexx, she's under the table." Calleigh said as she dusted the counter.

"Sweetheart what happened to you." Alexx asked as she crouched down beside her. "She's been dead for approximately 48hrs." Alexx told Calleigh after taking the woman's liver temperature.

"I'm thinking she was almost strangled before she was shot."

"That would seem consistent with the pattern of bruising." Alexx confirmed. "Someone wanted you dead didn't they sweetheart."

"Our bullet swallower has been dead less than twenty-four hours, it's a good chance he was the one who killed her." Calleigh said.

"I'll take scraping from under finger nails when I get her back to autopsy. You tried to put a fight didn't. She has defensive wounds on her hands and lower arms."

"Do you think she was sexually assaulted?" Calleigh asked.

"It's possible. I'll know more when I conduct an autopsy."

"Be on the lookout for more bullets in her stomach."

"I think the one that killed her is still in there somewhere."

"Blood splatter indicates she was killed over there and dragged under the table." Calleigh said.

"That would be consistent with the marks on the back of her heels. If you're done taking pictures, I'll take her back with me."

"Thanks Alexx."

"Come and see me when you get back I may know more then."

"I bet this isn't how you expected it to turn out when you handed me those bullets this morning."

"That's one thing about this job you never know what is going to happen next."

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

"Tim." Calleigh called.

"What is it Cal?" Speed asked coming out to the garage where Calleigh was. "Wow. I guess our mild mannered man wasn't so mild mannered."

"The dead body wasn't a big enough clue?" Calleigh joked as they surveyed the large chest freezer that was filled with packets of cocaine.

"Where is he getting it from?" Speed asked.

"We haven't finished searching the house yet." Calleigh replied.

"We should call H." Speed suggested.

"And the DEA."

"This amount of drugs isn't for personnel use and Alexx found no drugs in his tox screen."

"There has got to be a couple million dollars worth there."

Calleigh pulled out her phone and dialled Horatio's number.

"Horatio." He asked.

"Horatio we need you to come out here." Calleigh replied.

"What's going on Cal?"

"Apart from the dead woman Alexx took with her we have a large freezer full of cocaine. We need to go over the whole house with a fine tooth comb."

"What's the address?" Calleigh told him. "I'll be there right away."

"Thank you." Calleigh hung up. "He's on his way." She told Speed.

"We've processed the hall, living room, kitchen; I'll try the bedroom while you finish in here."

"Look for a cellar or a loft." Calleigh suggested. "He could be his own cook."

"I'm on it."

"Calleigh." Tim called.

"Yes." She said walking into to the bedroom.

"I found the loft access. There is a light switch."

"Be careful."

He pulled down the ladder.

He climbed up and switched the light on.

"You're going to have to see this to believe this Cal." Speed said once he started looking around.

Calleigh climbed the ladder.

"He sure knows how to throw a party for the depraved doesn't he." Calleigh commented.

The whole loft space was fitted out as an S&M den.

"Hello?" Horatio called when he entered.

"Up here." Calleigh yelled.

"Hello." Horatio said from the bottom of the ladder.

"Can you pass up my kit?" Calleigh asked from the top of the ladder.

Horatio passed it up and then climbed up the ladder.

"A den of iniquity." Horatio commented. "So what have we got?"

"Take your pick." Speed said.

"There was the dead body in the kitchen, the freezer full of drugs in the garage, the loft an S&M den and we haven't finished searching yet."

"No wonder he had a heart attack." Speed muttered.

"We're still looking for a gun and bullets." Calleigh pointed out.

"Why don't you show me where the drugs are and we'll go from there?" Horatio suggested.

"I'll take up here Cal, you can take the bathroom." Speed suggested.

"Thanks." Calleigh said sarcastically. "Down the ladder Lieutenant for the nickel tour."

"She was shot there." Calleigh pointed out the blood spatter marks. "He tried to clean it up. Then she was stuffed naked under the table. I'm guessing he would have buried her if he hadn't died."

"So she was shot where?"

"Right between the eyes close range. She had powder burn around the wound. But before she that she was almost strangled from the bruises around her neck. It's just through here." Calleigh opened the door to the garage."

"Horatio." Adelle said as she was watching the drugs.

"Hey Adelle. That is certainly a lot of drugs."

"That it is." Adelle agreed. "Calleigh the truck to transport it just arrived. Have you finished photographing it?"

"Yes." Calleigh replied.

"Have them take the whole freezer back to the lab." Horatio instructed. "We need to go through it for prints and fibres."

"You got it." Adelle replied.

"You seem to have everything here under control. I'll be in the bathroom." Calleigh said.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Calleigh open the bathroom door and switched on the light. The room was a typical bathroom with nothing seeming out of place. Calleigh checked the medicine cabinet which just contained the standard aspirin and a bottle of antacid. She closed the door and began processing the room.

Half way through the room, Calleigh spot a small button hidden behind a towel on the towel rail. She pressed it. She looked around to see what it controlled. She looked around all the walls and the ceiling she took a step back to get a better look and let out a blood curdling scream before blackness engulfed her.

Horatio was signing off on the paperwork for the transport of the freezer in the garage with Adelle.

When they heard scream they glanced at each other, before drawing their guns and running into the house.

Speed dropped the item he was examining and ran to the ladder and quickly climbed and drew his gun ran to the bathroom.

The officer that had been guarding the front door met them by the bathroom door. The bathroom was perfectly normal except Calleigh's kit sat open on the floor with an evidence envelope next to it. But Calleigh was no where to be see.

"Calleigh?" Horatio yelled. There was no response.

"Okay where is she?" Adelle asked.

"No one has entered or left the house other than you sir." The officer told him.

"Search the rest of the house." Horatio instructed. "Speed, look the bathroom over."

"You've got it H."

"The rest of the house is clear, no sign of struggle." Horatio said as he re-entered the bathroom.

"I can't see where she's gone." Speed said.

"Let's think this through logically. A person can't just disappear, especially from a house filled with police officers." Horatio said calmly. "Let's trying calling her cell phone."

Horatio took out his phone and dialled Calleigh's number.

"Horatio she's not outside either." Adelle said coming to the doorway.

"Be quiet for a moment." Horatio instructed.

"Do you hear that?" Speed asked.

"It signs like it's coming from down low maybe under the floor." Horatio said.

"The floor is solid." Speed replied.

"But maybe not as solid as it appears." Horatio ended the call before it could switch to voice mail and redialled.

Speed got down on the ground and pressed his ear to the floor and crawled around to find where the sound was loudest.

"What have you got Speed?" Horatio asked.

"There isn't any grout around these nine tiles" He replied. "Maybe a trap door." He looked up.

"You weight more than Calleigh, so if the floor gave way under her weight it would have under yours or mine. So she had to have touched something." Horatio said.

"But what? Can you see any buttons or switches?" Speed asked.

"We're going to have to find one." Horatio said. "Adelle call an ambulance, keep everyone out while we search."

"You've got it."

"Let's find her."

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Calleigh's eye flickered open and tried to adjust to the pitch black. The lack of light meant she couldn't even pick out the outlines of objects.

The floor was cold beneath her back and solid, she tried to move but pain shot through her leg, shoulder and head. Her head cloudy from the pain she tried to recall where she was. She remembered she had been process the house of a man who had swallowed bullet full of cocaine, he also had dead woman in his kitchen, a freezer full of cocaine in his garage and an S&M den in his loft.

She patted around her belt with her good hand and located her cell phone, she flipped it open the phone, her vision was blurry she managed to hit a speed dial number; she managed to bring the phone up to her ear.

"Delko." Eric answered his cell phone.

"Er…ic."

"Calleigh?" Eric said instantly concerned. "Are you okay?"

"N…o."

"Calleigh what's wrong?"

"I hurt."

"Where are you hurt?" When there was no response. "Calleigh."

"Leg… think it's broken."

"You've broken your leg, anything else?" Eric started to move through the crime lab.

"Dis…lo…cat..ed sho…ulder."

"You've dislocated your shoulder. Calleigh did you bump your head?"

"Maybe… I'm sleepy."

"Calleigh, I need you to stay awake and keep talking to me. Can you do that?"

"Okay…" She mumbled after a few seconds.

"Good girl. Calleigh where are you?"

"Don't know…. Dark…I'm scared."

"It's okay Calleigh; we're coming to get you. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Proc…essing bath...room. Push button… black."

"You pushed a button. Where was the button Cal?"

"Tow…."

"Calleigh." Eric said loudly. "Calleigh are you still there?"

"Yes…" She mumbled.

"The button was by the towels?" Eric questioned.

"Yes."

"Good girl. Can you recite the alphabet for me?"

"Alph…a…bet."

"A, B, C, D…"

"A…B…"

"Good girl keep going."

"C…D…"

"Alexx." Eric said entering autopsy where Alexx was preparing to begin the autopsy on the woman Calleigh had found.

"Hey sugar." Alexx smiled. She saw the look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"Calleigh's hurt. She thinks she's broken her leg, dislocated her shoulder and I'm pretty sure she has concussion. She's slurring and she keeps going distant." He put the phone to his ear.

"J… M…. Q"

"That's good Cal, keep going. Cal I'm going to call Horatio, so I'm going let you talk to Alexx okay."

"O…kay." Calleigh mumbled.

"Keep her talking." Eric held out the phone to Alexx.

"Hey sugar, tell me how you're feeling."

"Horatio." Horatio answered his phone. He and Speed were still searching the bathroom trying to find a way to get through the floor.

"Horatio it's Eric."

"Eric, we're kind of busy right now, is this important?"

"Calleigh called me, she's hurt."

"Calleigh called you?" Horatio questioned. Speed looked at him.

"Yes. She's got bad concussion, a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder she thinks, she's disorientated, she's in the dark and scared."

"Did she say how she got there?" Horatio asked.

"She said she was processing the bathroom. Something about a button and towels…"

"Speed, check behind the towels." Horatio instructed.

"H, I think she fell."

"She screamed, and we all ran in but she vanished. We found what could be a trapdoor in the bathroom but we couldn't operate it. Did you hang up on her?"

"Alexx is talking to her."

"I think I've got something H." Speed said.

"I'll call you back. Keep her talking." Horatio said hanging up. "Press it."

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Speed pushed the button, the area of flooring dropped down slightly before sliding back silently.

Horatio shone his torch down the dark hole and could just make out Calleigh crumpled on the ground ten feet down at the base of what appeared to be a ladder.

"We found her." Horatio told speed. "Go and get the paramedics I'm going to check her over."

"You got it H." Speed quickly ran out of the room.

"I'm coming Calleigh." Horatio said before starting to climb down the ladder holding the torch between his teeth.

"Switch light…out… sleepy." Calleigh mumbled as the torch light hit her eyes.

"Calleigh you need to stay awake. We've got you." Horatio said as he stepped beside. "I'm here."

"Hor-at-io." She muttered.

"Yes Cal I'm here you're going to be just fine."

"So-rry."

"It's not your fault. Help is coming just stay with me."

"k."

Horatio took the cell phone from Calleigh.

"Calleigh?" Alexx said on the other end.

"Alexx, it's Horatio, we've got her."

"How does she look?"

"Not good. We've got the paramedics coming."

"Keep her talking; if she passes out she's in trouble." Alexx advised him.

"I know." Horatio said. "I'm going to hang up now."

"Eric and I will meet you at the hospital."

"Okay Alexx." Horatio hung up and slipped the cell phone onto his belt for safe keeping. "Calleigh I need you to keep talking to me."

"Say what?" She asked.

"Tell me something I don't know about you."

"I we…ar blac…k… bec…ause you thin…k I look … good … in… bl..ack."

"That's right I do." Horatio smiled. "Can you tell me your full name?"

"Cal…leigh Mar..ia Du…que…sne."

"Calleigh Maria huh. I didn't know that." Horatio smiled.

"What you…rs?" Calleigh asked.

"Horatio Matthew Caine." Horatio replied.

"Like.. Hor…at..io."

"Thank you, I like you too."

"Hello." One of the paramedics called down.

"Down here, be careful down the ladder." Horatio said looking up.

"Is there anymore light down there?"

"I'll take a look. Cal, keep talking."

"Ab..out wha…t?"

"Alphabet."

"Wha..t is wit..h the al..ph.a..bet to…day?"

"Come on Cal. A…B…C…D…"

"E…F…G…"

Horatio looked around with his torch; he saw what looking like a kitchen for manufacturing the cocaine.

"Speed." Horatio called up as the first paramedic hit the ground.

"Yes H."

"I can't see a switch down here. Try the bathroom see if you can find a switch, maybe outside."

"I'm on it."

"Ms Duquesne." The paramedic said to Calleigh.

"That's Detective Duquesne or Calleigh." Horatio corrected.

"We're just going to take a look at you, can you tell me what hurts?"

"My l..eg… sho..uld..er and he..ad." Calleigh replied.

"She thinks she has a broken leg, dislocated shoulder and a concussion." Horatio explained.

"Lieutenant, I need her to answer my questions."

Calleigh groaned as the lights came on.

"Swit…ch the.m… off."

"Cal it's okay." Horatio assured her.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

"Timothy." Alexx said as she and Eric bustled into the Emergency Room.

"Hey Alexx, Eric." Speed smiled.

"How's Calleigh?" Eric asked.

"They won't tell us anything. Horatio's trying to talk them into it now." Speed replied.

"I'll go and see if I can get some information from them." Alexx said.

"How did she really look?" Eric asked sitting down next to Speed. "She didn't sound good on the phone."

"Her leg looked pretty badly broken, and her shoulder was definitely dislocated. She was mumbling."

"She had a concussion; I was having a hard time keeping her talking." Eric admitted. "What happened?"

"Educated guess she pressed a button which opened a hidden trap door in the floor to a drug kitchen. She must have stepped back to see what it did and have fallen down the hole ten feet. She was crumpled at the bottom of the ladder."

"This was Calleigh's bullet swallower's house?" Eric questioned.

"What from all outward appearances appeared to be a mild mannered man who kept himself to himself, and died of heart attack wasn't. Apart from swallowing the bullets of cocaine, he had a dead woman in his kitchen stuffed under the table, a freezer full of cocaine parcels in his garage, an S&M den in his loft space and a cocaine kitchen in his cellar."

"Must have been one hell of a party." Eric commented.

"We were only half way processing the place when Calleigh screamed. Adelle has the PD securing the place until we can go back and finish up."

"H is going to want to stay with Calleigh; I'll come and help you as soon as we know she's going to be okay."

"We're in no hurry." Speed replied.

"So you think she'll be okay?" Eric asked.

"I hope so."

"Horatio." Alexx said as she joined him at the desk where he was trying to get information.

"Alexx." Horatio gave her a week smile.

"Is there a problem here?" Alexx asked.

"I'm trying to get some information on Calleigh but they won't tell me anything. As I'm not family."

"Lieutenant, we have other people to see, if you'd step aside." The woman behind the desk said.

"Excuse me, I'm Doctor Alexx Woods. So do you want to give us the information on Detective Duquesne or do I have to go and find out for myself?" Alexx said.

"I'm going to need to see some identification to confirm that." Alexx handed over her ID badge. "This says you're a pathologist."

"Still means I went through medical school just like everyone else here." Alexx said. "Horatio wait here I'm going to find out what's going on."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Excuse me." The woman said as Alexx took a look at the board and headed off to find Calleigh.

"How is she H?" Eric asked as Horatio walked over to them.

"They wouldn't tell me anything." Horatio replied.

"Where did Alexx go?" Speed asked.

"To find out what is happening with Calleigh. I don't think the woman at reception was too happy about it."

"Go Alexx." Eric smiled. "Speed was telling me about the house."

"We need to finish processing it, find out if there is anyone else who has been there that we need to bring in for questioning."

"You can't charge a dead man." Eric said.

"But we need to find out if he had any accomplices and who the dead woman was."

"Eric and I will go back and finish process when we found out how Calleigh is." Speed informed him.

"We thought you might want to stay here." Eric added. Speed shot him a glare. "She'll need a friendly face around and… you know what I mean."

"I do." Horatio smiled.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

"Timothy." Alexx said as she and Eric bustled into the Emergency Room.

"Hey Alexx, Eric." Speed smiled.

"How's Calleigh?" Eric asked.

"They won't tell us anything. Horatio's trying to talk them into it now." Speed replied.

"I'll go and see if I can get some information from them." Alexx said.

"How did she really look?" Eric asked sitting down next to Speed. "She didn't sound good on the phone."

"Her leg looked pretty badly broken, and her shoulder was definitely dislocated. She was mumbling."

"She had a concussion; I was having a hard time keeping her talking." Eric admitted. "What happened?"

"Educated guess she pressed a button which opened a hidden trap door in the floor to a drug kitchen. She must have stepped back to see what it did and have fallen down the hole ten feet. She was crumpled at the bottom of the ladder."

"This was Calleigh's bullet swallower's house?" Eric questioned.

"What from all outward appearances appeared to be a mild mannered man who kept himself to himself, and died of heart attack wasn't. Apart from swallowing the bullets of cocaine, he had a dead woman in his kitchen stuffed under the table, a freezer full of cocaine parcels in his garage, an S&M den in his loft space and a cocaine kitchen in his cellar."

"Must have been one hell of a party." Eric commented.

"We were only half way processing the place when Calleigh screamed. Adelle has the PD securing the place until we can go back and finish up."

"H is going to want to stay with Calleigh; I'll come and help you as soon as we know she's going to be okay."

"We're in no hurry." Speed replied.

"So you think she'll be okay?" Eric asked.

"I hope so."

"Horatio." Alexx said as she joined him at the desk where he was trying to get information.

"Alexx." Horatio gave her a week smile.

"Is there a problem here?" Alexx asked.

"I'm trying to get some information on Calleigh but they won't tell me anything. As I'm not family."

"Lieutenant, we have other people to see, if you'd step aside." The woman behind the desk said.

"Excuse me, I'm Doctor Alexx Woods. So do you want to give us the information on Detective Duquesne or do I have to go and find out for myself?" Alexx said.

"I'm going to need to see some identification to confirm that." Alexx handed over her ID badge. "This says you're a pathologist."

"Still means I went through medical school just like everyone else here." Alexx said. "Horatio wait here I'm going to find out what's going on."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Excuse me." The woman said as Alexx took a look at the board and headed off to find Calleigh.

"How is she H?" Eric asked as Horatio walked over to them.

"They wouldn't tell me anything." Horatio replied.

"Where did Alexx go?" Speed asked.

"To find out what is happening with Calleigh. I don't think the woman at reception was too happy about it."

"Go Alexx." Eric smiled. "Speed was telling me about the house."

"We need to finish processing it, find out if there is anyone else who has been there that we need to bring in for questioning."

"You can't charge a dead man." Eric said.

"But we need to find out if he had any accomplices and who the dead woman was."

"Eric and I will go back and finish process when we found out how Calleigh is." Speed informed him.

"We thought you might want to stay here." Eric added. Speed shot him a glare. "She'll need a friendly face around and… you know what I mean."

"I do." Horatio smiled.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

"Dr Woods." Dr Hill said coming over with another man.

"Dr Hill." Alexx got to her feet. "Horatio this is Dr Gavin Hill, he is the doctor who has been treating Calleigh since she was brought in. Dr Hill, Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Miami Dade Crime lab."

"It's nice to meet you Lieutenant."

"You too." Horatio echoed.

"This is Dr Gilforth the neurologist I told you about." Dr Hill said.

"How does her CT scan look?" Alexx asked.

"Perhaps we should talk some where else?" Dr Gilforth suggested.

"You can speak in front of Horatio." Alexx said.

"Let's move this out of the waiting room." Dr Hill suggested and pushed open the door to one of the rooms off the hallway.

Alexx gave Horatio's arm a comforting squeeze.

"I've taken a look at the CT scan." Dr Gilforth said. "Ms Duquesne."

"That's Detective Duquesne or Calleigh." Horatio corrected.

"Calleigh then." Dr Gilforth started again. "Has slight swelling of the brain which is not uncommon with a serious concussion, there was also a minor bleed which appears to have stopped, we'll keep a close eye on it."

"Why does that sound like the good news?" Horatio asked.

"The swelling should go down over the next few days and she should be just fine. However for the time being she still has slurred speech, she's not very coherent and she keeps lapsing into Spanish."

"She speaks it fluently." Horatio supplied.

"We're going to transfer her to ICU." Dr Hill said. "Where she can be monitored closely."

"I'm going to want to take a look at her chart, x-rays and CT scan results." Alexx stated.

"They are being sent up to ICU with her, I'll advise them that you want to look at them."

"Thank you sugar." Alexx said.

"Can we see her?" Horatio asked.

"We limit ICU to family only." Dr Hill replied. "At least for the first forty-eight hours."

"Her mother and brothers live in New Orleans someone is trying to track them down, her father is some where in Miami but we're not sure where." Horatio replied.

"Can I talk to you over here for a moment Dr Hill?" Alexx said.

"Of course Dr Woods." They both stepped off to the side.

"Horatio and Calleigh have a special relationship; they are very close and have a calming effect on each other. Let him sit with her until we locate a family member, otherwise you'll end up with another patient."

"I suppose we can make an exception in this case for now."

"Thank you." Alexx said.

"Lieutenant." Dr Hill said. "I'll arrange for you to be allowed to sit with her for a short period of time, but don't expect much she won't be able to tell you what happened."

"We know what happened. She was processing a scene and found a switch which when she pressed it opened a trapdoor, she stepped back to see what the button had done and fell down a 10 ft drop."

"I see. If you want to make your way up to ICU we'll have someone let you know when you can see her."

"Thank you." Horatio replied.

"Horatio." Alexx said when they had left. "She's in the best hands."

"I'm going to call and check in with Eric and Speed."

"Then we're going to go and get something to eat. It will be a while before they have her settled in."

"I'm not hungry Alexx."

"I am so you can come on keep me company while I eat." Alexx said. "And that's doctor's orders."

"Okay Alexx." Horatio conceded.

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

Alexx went over Calleigh's charts, x-rays and CT scan with a fine tooth comb to make sure they didn't miss anything. When she returned to the ICU waiting room Horatio was pacing back and forth, before sitting for a second then getting up and pacing again.

"Sugar, you're going to be exhausted if you don't sit down." She said after a few minutes of watching him.

"Alexx." He gave her a weak smile. "Learn anything else from her test results?"

"Nothing we didn't already know." Alexx replied. She took a seat and Horatio came and sat down beside her. "They will let you see her soon."

"I know Alexx, it's just…"

"It drives you crazy when someone you love is hurt and you can't do a single thing about it." Alexx finished for him. Horatio glanced at her. "Horatio, if I didn't know you loved her before I would have from the look on your face when I saw you downstairs."

"Alexx you have to keep that information to yourself." Horatio said.

"Eric and Timothy are very observant young men too sugar, but they won't say anything either."

"Life has a way of sneaking up on you doesn't." Horatio sighed.

"It's good when you recognise it."

"Lieutenant Caine." The nurse said coming out.

"That would be me." Horatio rose.

"You can come and see Detective Duquesne for a short period of time."

"Thank you. Alexx?"

"I'll be right here when you get back sugar." Alexx smiled.

Horatio hesitantly walked to the side of Calleigh's bed and sat in the chair. He sat and took her hand in his and gently ran this thumb over her skin.

The shoulder she had dislocated was bandaged tightly to her body, her broken leg in a splint so she couldn't move it too much before her surgery. Bruise he hadn't seen had broken out over her body.

"I'm so sorry Cal." Horatio whispered. "I should have been there."

"No su defecto." Calleigh murmured. "usted me salvó" (not your fault. You saved me.)

"Only you would get a bump on the head and revert to Spanish." He smiled.

"Te quiero" Calleigh whispered. (I love you)

"Te quiero Cal." Horatio echo and dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Calleigh's eyes fluttered open and she looked at him.

"Horatio." She whispered.

"Hey Cal. How are you feeling?"

"Hurts." Calleigh replied.

"Did they tell you what's going to happen?"

"Operation on leg when headache goes." Calleigh replied.

"That's right. They don't want to give an anaesthesia while you have a concussion, so they are going to wait a few days before they set your leg. But they doctor says you're going to be fine, you can come back to work in about a month, but it's going to take a while longer than that for your leg to heal."

"Okay." Calleigh said.

"Someone is trying to track down your father. They've tried calling your Mom and your brothers but they aren't getting any reply."

"My Mom is on a cruise." Calleigh replied.

"That explains why we couldn't get a hold of her."

"Where the others?" Calleigh asked.

"Your brothers? We don't know." Horatio told her.

"No Eric, Tim."

"They went back out to the house to finish processing it after they found out that you were going to be okay. Alexx is out in the waiting room; she's making sure the doctor's are doing their jobs properly."

"And you're here with me."

"I would be anywhere else."

"Thank you."

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

"Alexx." Speed said as he and Eric came to the ICU waiting room. They had finished processing the house after several hours' hard work.

"Timothy, Eric." Alexx smiled. "Did you finish processing that house?"

"Yes. We have people back at the lab going over the evidence." Eric replied.

"We got an AFIS hit on the woman." Speed added. "She was reported missing 3 months ago from just outside Montgomery, Alabama."

"Her name is Maggie Rowland, she was 23 years old." Eric told her.

"Her parents are flying in to identify the body."

"At least she's now at peace." Alexx said.

"How is Calleigh?" Eric asked.

"I talked them into letting Horatio sit with her for a while. I've checked everything personally she should be fine. The major concern is her concussion. She has a slight swelling of the brain, which should go down and a minor bleed that stopped that they are monitoring."

"Will they let us see her?" Speed asked.

"Not right now baby. Maybe in a few days once she's had her leg set." Alexx answered. "There is nothing we can for her right except keep the workload away from Horatio so he can sit with her. The doctors are going keep me constantly appraised of any changes in her condition which I'll let you both know about."

"We're both going to stay here with you a while." Both men sat flanking Alexx. She reached out and took hold of one of each of their hands.

"Lieutenant Caine." One of the nurses gently shook his shoulder waking him from his doze. He had fallen asleep still holding Calleigh's hand.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

"Calleigh appears to holding her own." She replied. "Perhaps it's time to go home for the night."

"What time is it?"

"11:30." She replied." Visiting hours ended a few hours ago."

"Is Alexx still here?" Horatio asked.

"You mean Doctor Woods; she left several hours ago with the two gentlemen who were with her. She said she would be back to check on Calleigh first thing in the morning before work. We're also going to contact her if there is a change in her condition."

"Thank you."

"Go home Lieutenant, leave your contact details with the desk and we'll contact you if there is a change in her condition."

"If..." Horatio started.

"Lieutenant, go home before I have security come and throw you out. You can come back after 8 a.m. tomorrow."

"Okay." Horatio conceded. "Sweet dreams Cal." He dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"He finally left then." One of the other nurses commented once Horatio had gone.

"I had to threaten to have him thrown out before he would leave." She replied.

"What's the deal with those two?"

"Officially he's her boss." She answered.

"And unofficially?"

"I think they are about to cross the line between friend and friendlier. I'm going to get some coffee do you want some?"

"Please."

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

"Horatio!" Calleigh yelled. "Horatio!"

"Calleigh." The nurse came over.

"Horatio!" Calleigh yelled again starting to thrash.

"Calleigh you need stay still before you hurt yourself." The nurse held her down.

"Horatio!." Calleigh repeated.

"Get the doctor." The nurse called to her counterpart. "You need to stay still." Told her trying not to hurt her.

"What's going on?" The Doctor asked coming in draping his stethoscope around his neck.

"She became agitated." The nurse replied.

"Horatio!" Calleigh yelled again.

"Can we give her a sedative?" The nurse asked.

"No, not with her concussion." The doctor replied.

"Horatio!"

"Who is Horatio?" The doctor asked.

"Lieutenant Caine, her boss maybe boyfriend. He was sitting with her earlier."

"Is he still here?" The doctor asked.

"No we sent him home a couple of hours ago." She replied.

"If you have a number for him call him and get him here. He might be able to calm her down without the need for drugs."

"Sarah, call Lieutenant Caine." The nurse instructed.

Horatio tossed he had finally been able to get to sleep about half an hour before hand.

His cell phone rang.

"Horatio." He answered.

"Is this Lieutenant Caine?" The woman on the other end asked.

"Yes." Horatio replied. "Who is this?"

"My name is Sarah Thomas I'm a nurse at…"

"Is Calleigh okay?" He interrupted.

"She woke up agitated and is calling for you. The doctor was…"

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Horatio replied.

"Thank you Lieutenant."

"You're Lieutenant Caine I presume." The doctor who was still by Calleigh's bed said when Horatio arrived.

"That's right." Horatio replied.

"Dr Peters." He replied.

"Horatio!" Calleigh called.

"I'm here Cal." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I'm here." Calleigh instantly settled.

"Can you sit with her for a while?" Dr Peters asked.

"Of course." Horatio replied.

"I'll be back to check on her in fifteen minutes."

"Every thing is okay Cal." Horatio took her hand. "I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"Her pulse rate is back to normal." The nurse told him reading the monitor at the desk. "I guess he has a calming effect."

"Let him stay as long as he likes. We need to keep her calm." The doctor instructed.

"Yes doctor." The nurse replied.

TBC


	31. Chapter 31

"So the only prints we have are the dead guy and the dead woman. No fibres or trace that are inconsistent with the house." Speed summarised.

"So we have a one man operation, and the girl he killed." Eric replied.

"I guess we can sign off on this one."

"Delko." Yelina walked into the room where Eric and Speed where reviewing the evidence.

"Yelina." He replied.

"Have you seen Horatio? He's not answering his cell phone."

"He's taken the day off." Eric replied. "We've got things covered here."

"He took the day off?" Yelina questioned.

"He had some he had to be." Speed replied.

"Do you have number to contact him on?" Yelina asked.

"Only in a life or death emergency. We'll tell him you want to talk to him if he calls to check in."

Just then Eric's cell phone rang.

"Delko." He answered. "We'll be right there." He hung up.

"What's up?" Speed asked.

"PD got a call to woman slumped over the steering wheel of her car at the beach. Paramedic just pronounced at the scene."

"Heart attack?" Speed guessed. "Heat stroke?"

"Possible but they say her skin is very pink."

"Carbon Monoxide." Speed guessed.

"Alexx will tell us. Yelina we've got to go."

Horatio's eyes opened. He had finally asleep in the chair by Calleigh's bed a few hours before hand after calling Speed and telling him he wouldn't be in to work.

"Hey handsome." Calleigh said.

"Calleigh." Horatio instinctively moved closer to her. "How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts."

"It was quite a bump you took when you fell."

"What time is it?" Calleigh asked.

"A little after 10.30." Horatio replied after checking his watch.

"You're supposed to be at work." Calleigh told him.

"I'm taking the day off, Eric and Speed know where I am if they need me."

"Horatio they will be two CSI's down." Calleigh pointed out.

"They can cope. I have somewhere I'd rather be."

"Where is that?"

"Right here with you."

"Horatio, I'm not going to let our relationship affect how we do our jobs."

"I'm your boss; let me worry about that for now okay? Just concentrate on getting better."

"Horatio…."

"Cal, I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay." Calleigh conceded.

"I'm going to check in with Eric and Speed I'll be right back." Horatio said dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Do you think you can find me some food? I haven't eaten since yesterday early yesterday as far as I remember?"

"I'll talk to the nurses."

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

"So what do think Alexx?" Eric asked.

"Time of death is approximately 4 hours ago."

"Preliminary cause of death?" Speed asked.

"She's still very pink and this isn't sunburn is it sweetheart." Alexx said.

"Carbon Monoxide poisoning?"

"Looks like it, but I'll be able to tell you more once I've autopsied her. Does she have a name?"

"The car is registered to a Cara King." Eric replied.

"Well Cara let's go and find out what happened to you."

Speed's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me." He stepped away to answer it. "Speedle."

"Speed, its Horatio."

"H, how is Calleigh?"

"She still has a headache, but she's hungry. So I think she's doing better."

"That's good." Speed replied.

"How are things going there?"

"We've been over every piece of evidence from that house, the only prints we have are from the dead guy and his victim, he had to be working alone."

"Okay." Horatio conceded.

"The only call that is a woman slumped over her wheel at the beach."

"Alexx give you a preliminary cause of death yet?"

"Carbon Monoxide poisoning, she's as pink as a lobster. We're going to take the whole car back to the lab as soon as Alexx has taken the body."

"Any pipes into the car?"

"No. The man who found her said the engine wasn't running, he saw her slumped over the wheel, he tried banging on the window to get her attention, when he could he smashed the back passenger side window and let himself in, when he couldn't feel a pulse he call 911."

"Which would have let any carbon monoxide out anyway." Horatio added.

"Yes."

"Do you need me to come…"

"H, Eric and I can handle it."

"Okay." Horatio conceded.

"By the way Yelina came in looking for you earlier."

"Did she say what she needed?" Horatio asked.

"No. But she wasn't happy when we told her that you'd taken the day off and refused to tell her where you were."

"I see thank you for letting me know."

"We told her we'd pass on the message."

"Check the woman's house, she could have got the carbon monoxide poisoning at home and driven to the beach for some fresh air, before she died."

"We'll check it out. Send Calleigh our love and I'll probably talk to you later."

"Take care." Horatio hung up.

"Horatio?" Eric asked when Speed returned when they were loading the body onto the gurney.

"Yes. Calleigh's doing better today." He replied.

"That's great news."

"I'm going to go back to the lab with the car." Speed said. "Why don't you grab a couple of uniforms and go over to her house. As Horatio pointed out she could have been poisoned at home and driven here, before passing out."

"I'm on it. See you back at the lab."

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

"This is the right place." Tripp told Eric as they pulled outside the woman's house.

"The door is open." Eric pointed out as they got out the car.

"That doesn't bode well." Tripp commented. Tripp pulled his gun. "Miami-Dade PD." He called. "Is everything okay in there?"

There was no response. Trip ordered the uniformed officers around the back of the property.

Eric pulled his gun and nodded to Tripp.

"We're coming in." Tripp called through the door.

Tripp and Eric went through the door. They quickly cleared the rooms, but there was a trail of objects that had been knocked over through out the house. Eric followed the trail which leads to an open door to a closed garage.

Inside the garage was a car, a pipe was lying on the ground like it had fallen from a window when the car doors were flung open.

Eric check the car there was a man laying half out the driver's side door. In the backseat was a child's car seat. He rounded the car and there was the very pink body of a three year old boy lying on the ground.

"Tripp call it in we have two bodies here." Eric advised. "Once you've cleared the house get everyone out.

Tripp moved inside to call it in.

Eric pulled out his cell phone.

"Speedle." Speed answered.

"Speed, its Eric. We've got too more pink bodies at the house. One of them is a kid."

"Faulty gas fire or boiler?" Speed guessed.

"Try someone tried to gas them in a car in the garage. We've got Dad hanging out the passenger side door, his window is slightly open and the pipe that is attached to the exhaust is on the floor on that side of the car. There is the body of a boy three years old maybe on the ground next to the car. It looks like they were all in the car, our woman changed her mind and tried to save her family, but they were already dead and she went for help in the car and pulled over and died. The house is disarray like she was stumbling at the time."

"I'll be right there. I've just got to check this car in."

"I'll start photographing the scene. But it looks like you have the wrong car."

"Don't make assumptions until we've gone through the evidence."

"Ms Duquesne we're going to take you for another x-ray of your leg." The orthopaedic surgeon told Calleigh.

"Is it going to cause any problems long term?" Calleigh asked.

"Once we've set you're leg it's going to take several months for you leg to be back to full strength and you'll need some physiotherapy."

"But I can go back to work?"

"I understand you are a crime scene investigator Ms Duquesne, it's going to be difficult to get around crime scenes on crutches and I'll want you to take things easy for a few weeks at least."

"What if I stay at the lab?" She asked.

"As long as you don't fire a gun for at least the next month I don't want you dislocating your shoulder again."

"When do you think you'll do the surgery?" Calleigh asked.

"Tomorrow." He replied. "You're a very lucky young woman; it could have been much more serious. I'll be back to discuss your x-rays with you later."

"Thank you doctor." Calleigh replied. "Can you send Lieutenant Caine back in?"

"Of course."

"What did the doctor say?" Horatio asked when he came and sat back down next to her.

"They're going to do another x-ray of my leg in a little while and probably the surgery tomorrow." Calleigh replied. "You know I'm not going to be able to go to crime scenes for a couple of months and I can't shoot a gun for a month."

"I know. The doctor's told me yesterday." Horatio said. "When the doctor's give you the okay you can work in the lab."

"What is the good of having a ballistics expert, if they can't file a gun?"

"I had a thought about that." Horatio said.

"You did?"

"What if I assign someone to assist you? If you need a gun shot they can do it and you can supervise. That way I still have my ballistics expert and you can still do the job you love." Horatio proposed.

"That could work. But only on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You go back to work tomorrow. I'll have the doctor's call you when I get out of surgery."

"Okay." Horatio reluctantly agreed.

"But you can come and visit me if you want."

"Always." Horatio replied. "Once you're back on your feet, I'm taking you out."

"Like a date?" Calleigh beamed.

"Like a date anything you want to do."

"That will give me something to think about."

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

"How is it going Alexx?" Speed asked walking into pathology near the end of the shift.

"Calleigh's scheduled for surgery to set her leg tomorrow and she's insisting that Horatio come to work, so we need to keep an eye on him." Alexx replied.

"I was actually talking about our three bodies." Speed replied. "But we'll watch him."

"I'm still waiting for a report from toxicology for confirmation, but they all died from carbon monoxide poisoning in my opinion."

"Why would you gas your whole family? The kid was only three."

"His name was Adam wasn't it baby." Alexx walked over and stroked the little boys head. "He has three cracked ribs. It looks like the mother tried to give him CPR, but it was too late."

"Time of death?" Speed asked.

"Around 6am. The mother maybe an hour later."

"So she gassed her family and then changed her mind?" Speed questioned.

"He has no bruises other than from where the crack ribs are. He didn't put up a struggle; I think he was sedated first so he didn't put up a fight. You didn't stand a chance did you baby."

"What about the father?" Speed asked.

"George. He was dead before he fell out the door. He has a couple of bruises on his back but other than that no marks on him. He roughly the same time as the boy, maybe shortly after since his lungs were larger."

"If the mother woke up, would she have disorientated?"

"Yes drowsy, it's consistent with the path of debris through the house. She was trying to get out to get help."

"The was cut off last week so she couldn't have called for help and they only moved into the house a couple of weeks ago. The neighbours say they kept themselves to themselves. No arguments."

"I'll page you when I get the toxicology reports."

"Thanks Alexx."

"Timothy, one of the parents is a killer, find out which one for me."

"I'm working on it. I'll see you later Alexx."

"Eric. What do you have?" Speed asked coming to where Eric was processing evidence.

"You know I think you're beginning to like being in charge." Eric joked.

"Funny. Horatio asked me to keep any eye on things here that's what I'm doing. By the way Alexx said they scheduled Calleigh's surgery for tomorrow."

"I guess you'll be playing boss man tomorrow too."

"That's where you would be wrong. Cal is insisting that Horatio come into work."

"How come she can get away with ordering him around?" Eric said.

"It's Calleigh." Speed replied.

"I guess being blonde and gorgeous helps."

"I was thinking more along the lines of her knowing that doing this job means a lot to Horatio." Speed replied. "But yours helps."

"What did Alexx say?" Eric inquired.

"Toxicology is still pending but cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. The dad and the kid died up to an hour before the mom."

"I guess if she got out of the house the fresh air would have bought her some time."

"Alexx thinks that they were sedated since they don't have any bruising which would indicate fighting back, did we find any sedative bottles?"

"Not that we logged specifically but we have the trash bin contents over there. We bagged and tagged a lot."

"Go through it and see if you can find any indication of sedatives, prescriptions or other wise. I'm going to start on the cars."

"Which one first?" Eric asked.

"The one with the most bodies." Speed replied. "I'll be in the garage."

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

"So we've got both parents prints on the keys." Speed said.

"Which isn't unusual because they are both register users of both cars." Eric added.

"We have both sets of prints on the kid's seatbelt and the adults' seatbelts."

"Again not unusual."

"What about trace on their clothes?" Speed asked.

"There a few fibres which are consistent with the cars and each others clothing, but that could be transfer from a hug."

"So we still have no idea who set up the gas, there were no fingerprints on the exhaust, or the tubing."

"So we're no where." Eric sighed. "There has to be a way to prove who gassed whom."

"Did you find a sedative?" Speed asked.

"No. I've been over everything we collected from inside the house."

"What about an outside garbage can?" Speed questioned.

"We didn't collect it." Eric replied.

"Maybe we should go back to the house and take another look around." Speed stated.

"Has Alexx got the tox results back yet?" Eric asked.

"She has let me know, so I'm guessing no."

"So let go through this, someone knocked the little boy out and the other parent and put them in the car." Eric said.

"Then they connected the hose up through the window and started the engine, probably after taking a sedative themselves." Speed continued. "At some point the mother wakes up and sees what's going on. She switches off the engine and gets out of the car, comes around to the other side of the car and opens the door un-does the husband's seat belt and he falls out. She opens the back door and takes the boy out and tries to give him CPR but they are both dead. So she gets tries to go to get help, she goes through the door."

"She stumbles around, knocking things over, creating a mess and then grabs her car keys from beside the door and goes out the front door gets into her car and drives, but is dying from the carbon monoxide poisoning so pulls over and dies slumped over the steering wheel, where she is found by a passer by and we're called in." Eric concluded.

"Is it just me or do something seem to be missing from that story?" Speed asked.

"Motive." Eric replied. "From everyone PD talked to they were a happy well adjusted family, who were just settling in after the husband got a new job in Miami."

"No history of depression, mood swings?" Speed questioned.

"No."

"Let's go back over place again and grab the garbage can from outside." Speed said.

"What are you expecting to find?" Eric asked.

"An answer as to why this family died."

Speed's phone rang as he crawled around the garage looking for anything they had missed.

"Speedle." He answered.

"Timmy, it's Alexx. I've got the tox report back."

"What does it say?" He asked.

"They all died of carbon monoxide poisoning like we thought."

"Was there a sedative? Or are we on a wild goose chase."

"Chloroform." Alexx replied.

"We haven't found anything that would have chloroform on it, in the car or near by."

"The whole family had similar levels of chloroform in their systems and at these levels if either one of the parents had put a cloth over there mouth with it on they would have passed out within seconds, and a rag would have dropped right by their hand."

"Unless she took it with her and disposed of it."

"With the levels of carbon monoxide in her blood I'm surprised she even managed to start the car let alone drive anywhere."

"Are you saying someone else drove her and dumped her?" Speed questioned.

"It's possible, but in my opinion she couldn't driven half a block let alone a couple of miles."

"So we're looking at murder."

"I would say so baby." Alexx replied.

"Thanks Alexx."

"You're welcome baby." They hung up.

"Eric?" Speed called as he went to find him.

"What's up?"

"Alexx called me; she got the tox screen back."

"So what kind of sedative are we looking for?"

"Chloroform." Speed replied. "Alexx says they all had similar doses and that with the carbon monoxide levels in the mother's blood she wouldn't have been able to drive."

"So someone else drove her and put her in the driver's seat once she was dead?" Eric questioned.

"Looks that way. So I missed something in the cars and we need to find any evidence of chloroform."

"And now we're looking for a 'who' had motive as well."

"I hope you didn't have any plans for tonight."

"Other than going to see if I could see Calleigh no." Eric replied. "I want to get who ever did this too."

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

Horatio cleared his throat as he put his hand on his hips. "Gentlemen."

"What…" Speed asked lifting his head from the layout room table. The table was covered in test results and photographs.

"Boss." Eric said waking up too. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here."

"What time is it?" Speed yawned.

"A little before 9 am." Horatio replied.

"Nine am?" Eric repeated. "We were only supposed to sleep for an hour."

"You've both been here all night?" Horatio questioned.

"We were trying to figure out what we're missing in this case." Speed replied. "I need some coffee."

"Why don't you get some coffee and fill me in?" Horatio suggested.

"First, how's Calleigh this morning?" Eric asked.

"She's doing better. She scheduled to have her leg reset this afternoon, they call and let me know how it goes. You should be able see her as they are going to transfer her to the orthopaedic ward afterwards."

"That's great."

"She said to tell you to behave yourselves and not to make a mess of the ballistics lab while she's away."

"Sounds like." Eric smiled.

"Good you're awake boys." Alexx said coming in carrying a holder with four cups of coffee and a paper bag. "I brought you some breakfast."

"Thanks Alexx. You're our hero." Speed smiled.

"You're a godsend." Eric took the bag from her to investigate what Alexx had brought them.

"Good morning Alexx." Horatio said.

"Good morning Horatio. I brought you some coffee too."

"Thank you." Horatio said accepting it.

"Also a message from Calleigh." Alexx added.

"I only saw her less than an hour ago." Horatio said.

"She said to tell you if you try to go back to the hospital unless you're on a case before 6pm tonight hospital security are under orders to throw you out."

"She is definitely getting better." Eric said. Horatio looked at him. "Sorry H. So coffee Alexx."

"Here you go baby." Alexx handed him a cup of coffee. Then handed Speed his.

"Thanks Alexx."

"So did you find out anything yet?" Alexx asked.

"We've been over the evidence repeatedly, there is nothing to indicate another person being there. Are you sure she couldn't have driven?" Speed asked.

"Between the chloroform and the carbon monoxide no. She may have been able to get out and stumble around but she couldn't have driven." Alexx confirmed.

"And no bruising?" Eric questioned.

"Nothing that would indicate a struggle but I'll recheck the body for you."

"Is there a chance that she stumbled around to the door and whoever it is we're looking for gave her some more chloroform to get her into the car, which is why she didn't have a chance to fight the effects of the carbon monoxide?" Speed asked.

"Anything is possible." Alexx replied.

"Perhaps someone could fill me in." Horatio suggested.

"Sorry H."

"I'll let you know if I find anything." Alexx said.

"Thanks Alexx and thanks for breakfast."

"My pleasure Timmy."

"Do you remember that woman who we found in a car on the beach yesterday…" Speed started to fill him in on all the details of the case.

"Let's get the PD to re-canvas the neighbourhood." Horatio said. "Some may have seen or heard something they didn't think was significant at the time and may remember now."

"I'm going to eat this, then we're going back over to the house." Speed said. "There has to be something that we missed."

"Have you spoken to their families?" Horatio asked.

"PD are trying to track them down, but no luck so far." Eric replied.

"This isn't going to be one of those cases we can't solve." Speed said.

"Sometimes we can't solve every case that crosses our path." Horatio told him.

"You can't just take out an entire family and not leave any clue behind."

"You can't get personally involved with cases Speed, otherwise you'll never sleep." Horatio advised.

"I'm going to get some air." Speed climbed off from his stool.

"Eric…?" Horatio prompted.

"You didn't see that little boy H, he was three years old. He got to us, we have to find out who killed him. I could use some air too, we've been in here for the last fourteen hours." Eric pushed back and grabbed his coffee and left too.

TBC


	37. Chapter 37

"Eric and Speed want to see you so I'll come back later." Horatio dropped a kiss on Calleigh's forehead.

"Can you ask Alexx if she can run by my apartment and get me some clothes and pyjamas that will fit over my cast?" Calleigh asked.

"I can go if you tell me what you need." Horatio offered.

"That's sweet of you to offer Horatio, but it's a little soon to be letting you rummage around my underwear drawer." Calleigh pointed out.

"I'll call and ask her." Horatio smiled.

"She has a spare key."

"I'll be right back." Horatio stood and walked out into the hallway. "You can go in and see her." He told Eric and Speed.

"How's she doing?" Eric inquired.

"They've set her leg so she should be allowed home in about a week. Then allowed back to work a week or so after that, when I find some to assist her. I've got to call Alexx."

"Hey Cal." Eric said. "We brought you a plant." He announced and put it by the side of her bed.

"It's a very nice plant thank."

"I'm glad you're okay." He kissed her cheek.

"Me too." Calleigh replied.

"How are you feeling?" Speed asked.

"I'm still a little high from the pain killers they have me on for my leg. But I'll be fine."

"You scared the hell out of us disappearing like that." Speed commented.

"I'm just glad you found me." Calleigh replied.

"Your phone call helped." Speed admitted.

"You're all my heroes. So thank you."

"You just get back on your feet and back to lab so we don't have to do all the work and we'll take that as enough thanks." Eric said then yawned.

"You boys look like you had a late night."

"Sleeping at the lab is not conducive to a good nights sleep." Eric admitted.

"Why were you sleeping at the lab?" Calleigh asked.

"There is a case we're working on that we want to solve. But you don't need to worry about that." Speed said.

"Tell me." Calleigh said.

"Cal… Just concentrate on getting better, let us solve the case."

"You don't look like you're getting very far." Calleigh pointed. "Talking it out may help."

"We've tried that with H." Eric replied. "We're still no closer to solving it than we were yesterday."

"So tell me, I've been stuck here for the past couple of days, I need the mental stimulation."

Eric and Speed filled her in on the details of the case.

"Did you find any traces of Chloroform in the car?" Calleigh asked.

"Which one?" Speed asked.

"Either, but I'm mainly thinking of the one at the house."

"There were a few trace amounts in the air conditioner." He replied.

"And you said the whole family was dressed in clothes like they were going out?" Calleigh questioned.

"Yes." Speed replied.

"Where are you going with this?"

"Umm… nurse." Calleigh said to the nurse who was check her blood pressure on the monitor.

"Yes Ms Duquesne?"

"Is there an anaesthesiologist around I could talk to?" Calleigh asked.

"If you need more pain relief I can talk to Dr…" The nurse started.

"We all work with the Crime Lab." Calleigh explained. "I just want to ask him a couple of questions; he might have the answers to, to help with a case."

"I'll see if someone is available." The nurse replied.

"Thank you."

"Where are you going with this?" Speed asked.

"I read something in a Forensics journal once but I just need to check something." Calleigh replied.

TBC


	38. Chapter 38

"You wanted to see me Ms Duquesne." One of the staff anaesthesiologist came over. "Are you in pain?"

"No the painkillers are working just fine."

"Let me check your lungs." He said pulling out his stethoscope and checking her lungs. "Okay your breathing is just fine and no problems with your lungs. Any other problems?"

"This is Timothy Speedle and Eric Delko." Calleigh introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you. So what did you need to see me about?"

"I have a question I thought you could answer for me."

"Concerning what?"

"What do you know about Chloroform?" Calleigh inquired.

"That's a peculiar question." He said.

"We all work for CSI, it's important."

"Chloroform is the common name for trichloromethane; CHCl3, it's volatile, colourless, non-flammable liquid that has a sweetish taste and a somewhat pungent odour; it boils at 61.7°C."

"What else?" Calleigh prompted.

"It was used as an anaesthetic years ago but we don't use it any more as there are safer ones."

"At what levels would it kill you?" Eric asked.

"Anything around 40,000 ppm would be enough to kill you. Anything from 1500 ppm to 30000 ppm would knock you out for some time. Anything less that 1500ppm you experience dizziness, tiredness, develop a headache."

"You get chloroform by mixing Chlorine with Ethanol." Speed said.

"That's right or by the reduction of carbon tetrachloride with moist iron."

"Hypothetically." Calleigh said. "If you put some chloroform in an enclosed environment like a car for instance would it enough to knock out anyone in that vehicle."

"Yes depending on the concentrations."

"And if you added carbon monoxide." Eric said.

"Again depending on the levels, but it would in all likelihood result in death."

"If someone was dosed with chloroform and exposed to carbon monoxide, could they wake up?"

"Possibly."

"The father was a smoker."

"Someone who is a smoker already has a low level of carbon monoxide in their blood, so if they and someone who wasn't a smoker were exposed to the same levels the smoker would generally die first."

"What are you thinking Cal?" Speed asked.

"Did you check the air conditioner?" Calleigh asked. "You said they were all dressed, very few bruises. If you knocked someone out then dressed them you'd expect bruising. I think they got dressed, got in the car, I'm guessing they had a remote for the garage door."

"Yes."

"It's been cold the last few mornings, so they switch on the heat to warm up the car. You can get little balloons that disintegrate with even the smallest amount of heat. Put one or two in the vent and instant gas chamber. It wouldn't take long to connect up the hose and with everyone knocked out no one would bother you. But mom wakes up, tries to save her family, stumbles around, so the assailant gives her more chloroform and drives her to the beach."

"It would explain a lot." Speed said.

"Or maybe he took her out of the car, made it look like she did it and tried to help, knocked a few things over on the way out and takes her to the beach. I can't tell you who…"

"But you might have just given us the how." Speed said.

"We need to go back to the lab." Eric said.

"Thank you Dr." Calleigh smiled. "You've been a great help."

"We'll come and see you tomorrow." Eric dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"Bring some chocolate." Calleigh replied.

"If this works out we'll bring you Godiva." Speed kissed.

"Thanks."

"Gentlemen." Horatio said as they were headed out the door. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Back to the lab. Calleigh had an idea." Speed said.

"See you tomorrow H." Eric added.

TBC


	39. Chapter 39

"Calleigh." Horatio eyed her with suspicion when he walked back into the room.

"Horatio." She said cheerfully.

"Would you care to tell me why Eric and Speed were racing back to the lab?" Horatio inquired.

"Dr Kendall was just telling them some information about chloroform." Calleigh replied.

"And who pray tell is Dr Kendall?" Horatio asked.

"The anaesthesiologist I asked to see. I read an article in a Forensics journal once and when they told me about the case it reminded me. "

"Calleigh, you've just had surgery you need to concentrate on getting better. Let us concentrate on solving cases."

"I decided what I want to do on our date." Calleigh said hoping changing the subject would work.

"Calleigh…"

"I know relax and concentrate on getting better." Calleigh sighed. "They are going to bring me chocolate if my idea pans out."

"If you had asked I would have brought you some anyway. So what do you want to do?"

"Is it okay to come in?" A voice from the doorway asked before Calleigh could reply.

"Adelle." Calleigh smiled.

"Hi Horatio." Adelle said.

"Adelle." Horatio replied as way of greeting.

"Am I interrupting?" Adelle asked.

"I was just getting a telling off for trying to help Speed and Eric solve a case." Calleigh replied.

"Looks like my time is just right. You look a lot better than last time I saw you."

"I feel better, but then again they have me on some pretty good drugs."

"That was quite some disappearing act you pulled."

"You know me, if you're going to do something, you may as well do it big."

"Well you certainly managed that." Adelle smiled.

"I'm going to get some coffee." Horatio said standing. "I'll be right back ladies."

"How's that going?" Adelle asked when he had left.

"How's what going?" Calleigh asked.

"You and Horatio."

"You know about that?" Calleigh questioned.

"Calleigh everyone knows about it. If they didn't before Horatio's actions the last couple of days would have been a big clue. We may not be CSI's just police officers, but we can put 2 and 2 together and get 4."

"Good point. It's going okay, but then again I've been in here most of the time."

"You scared him, when you vanished like that. Speedle and I too, according to Alexx he was going to yell at the receptionist when she got to the hospital and she had to talk them into letting him see you since he isn't family."

"I didn't know that." Calleigh said.

"Rumour has it he spent most of the night you were admitted and yesterday here with you."

"That would be true. According to the nurses, while I was in and out of it he was here until late and they finally sent him home. Then I was yelling for him and mumbling in Spanish, so they called him because they couldn't give me too many painkillers because I had a concussion. So he came and sat with me and fell asleep on my hand."

"This is Horatio we're talking about?" Adelle questioned.

"One and the same."

"Oh I bought you some grapes by the way." Adelle said putting the bag she had been carrying on the beside table. "I know it's a cliché."

"Thanks."

"Did I really interrupt anything?" Adelle asked.

"I was just trying to change the subject. Tim and Eric just left, I heard about that case they are working. Something about the mother killing her family."

"Actually the whole family was murdered, they are just trying to figure out who it did it. They slept at the lab last night."

"I didn't hear that."

"They have gone back to the lab to check something out. Horatio said he'd take me out on a date when I got out of here, I just had to pick where."

"Have you got somewhere expensive in mind?" Adelle inquired.

"I'm still going to be in a cast for weeks when I get out of here."

"So get him to make you dinner." Adelle suggested. "I'm presuming he can cook."

"Probably."

"How long are going to have to take off work?" Adelle inquired.

"I can go back in a couple weeks, and I'll be restricted to the lab, and I can't fire a gun for a month."

"That's got to be hard, being a ballistics expert." Adelle commented.

"Horatio's going to find me an assistant for a couple of weeks. It should make things easier and still allow me to do my job."

"That's good news." Adelle said pulling her pager off her belt as it beeped. "I've got to go; I'll come back and see you again soon."

"That's for coming by Adelle." Calleigh smiled.

TBC


	40. Chapter 40

"Can you pass me the tweezers?" Speed asked. He had just taken the cars air conditioning unit apart.

"Have you got something?" Eric asked handing them to him through the open door on the opposite side of the car.

"Maybe." He put the tweezers into the whole and extracted what appears to be a small piece of rubber.

"I guess Calleigh was right." Eric said.

"And we owe her some Godiva chocolate. This whole unit needs to come and out so we print it. I hope you didn't have plans for the evening."

"Let me take this to trace and fingerprinting see if they can find any prints or traces of chloroform while we take it out."

"Okay."

"Gentlemen." Horatio said as he came into the fingerprinting lab a couple of hours later.

"I thought you were still at the hospital." Eric said looking from where the computer was running the print they had obtained from inside the air conditioning unit which matched the partial on the rubber they had found.

"Calleigh needs to rest. I presume you found something."

"Prints from inside the air conditioning unit and on a piece of rubber from inside it which had traces of chloroform on it." Speed explained. "We're running it against AFIS now, no hits so far."

"Even with a bump on the head Calleigh's good." Eric commented.

"No arguments there. Do you mind if I wait with you?"

"Pull up a stool.

Twenty minutes later the computer beeped indicating a match.

"What do you have Speed?"

"Prints are a match to Robert Kellerman. 45 year old accountant, ex-military. We've got an address."

"I'll call Tripp." Eric said.

"Good work gentlemen."

"Don't forget Calleigh's contribution."

"I won't."

"Ms Duquesne." One of the nurses said to Calleigh early the next morning.

"Yes."

"Lieutenant Caine asked me to give you a message."

"Okay."

"He says he can't come in this morning, you were right and they are tracking down a suspect, but he should be here tonight."

"Thank you."

"I know I'm not Horatio but will I do as a substitute." A voice from the door asked.

"Alexx." Calleigh smiled.

"How are you feeling baby?" Alexx inquired.

"I'm getting better."

"I've brought the things you asked for."

"Thank you. It will be good to get out of this hospital nightgown."

"So I hear you were solving cases yesterday."

"I just told them something I remembered reading in a journal."

"From what Timothy told me when he called me late last night to tell me they had a suspect, you did slightly more than that."

"We're a team that's what we do."

"You should take it easy and enjoy your time off."

"I'd rather be at work than in a cast and sling." Calleigh said.

"Calleigh…"

"I know, I got this from Horatio yesterday. But they told me about that little boy, and it was just an idea."

"I know, he got to all of us." Alexx admitted. "So too soon to be going through your underwear drawer."

"Horatio told you I said that." Calleigh cringed.

"I see where you're coming from baby. You'd rather he see you in your underwear first."

"Alexx!" Calleigh exclaimed.

"I'm an old married lady, I have to live vicariously."

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about my underwear anymore."

"One more comment and then we'll leave the subject alone."

"Okay." Calleigh agreed.

"When you find out the answer to the boxers or briefs question let me know."

"Alexx!" Calleigh scolded giggling. "Ow." She said as she pulled her shoulder slightly.

"Be careful. I've just checked your X-rays and every thing is where it should be and you don't want to change that."

TBC


	41. Chapter 41

"Doctor has she been behaving herself?" Eric inquired when he and Speed went to visit her that evening. Horatio was still tied up at the lab.

"You mean wanting to get out of bed despite the fact that she had surgery yesterday?" He responded.

"Something like that." Eric replied.

"Pay no attention to him." Calleigh instructed.

"Try not to shuffle too much and we'll put the permanent cast on as soon as the swelling has gone down." He said. "And I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you." Calleigh smiled. "So?" She asked turning her attention back to Eric and Speed.

"So what?" Speed prompted.

"Did you get him?" Calleigh asked.

"Him who?" Eric said knowing what information she wanted. He kept his had safely behind his back.

"The guy you were trying to hunt down, Horatio called this morning and left a message that he wouldn't be here because you were trying to track a suspect down. Then Alexx came and we had a bizarre conversation and she gave me a few more details. So did you get him?"

"I don't know Eric did we get him?" Speed asked.

"I don't know did we?"

"Such comedians." Calleigh rolled her eyes. "I'm an injured woman here and you heard the doctor I can't get up to clip you round the ears."

"I believe these are for you." Eric pulled a bouquet wrapped in pink tissue paper from behind his back and handed to her.

"You didn't have to…." Instead of flowers, in amongst the satin leaves were stems of chocolate roses. "You got me a Godiva bouquet." Calleigh's face lit up.

"More environmentally friendly, the flowers can kick back their small amount of oxygen." Speed said.

"We got him." Eric replied. "After a small stand off."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"A squad car got its window shot out and another ended up with a flat tire. But nobody was injured."

"That's good."

"Horatio said to tell you he'll be here as soon as he can, but it seems his ballistics expert is decided absent so he has to process the bullets himself."

"I'd be there if I could."

"We know."

"Who was he and why did he do it?"

"Robert Kellerman he's a CPA." Eric supplied.

"What he got fed up with filing tax returns and decided to give murder a try?" Calleigh asked.

"He was ex-army and apparently the father cut him off a week or so." Eric added.

"So he killed a whole family as revenge?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes." Speed confirmed.

"Okay that is it one hell of a way to get revenge."

"He didn't show a single drop of remorse when they interviewed him." Eric remarked.

"There are some bad people in this world. But that is just cold blooded."

"DA is going to go for the death penalty."

"Good. I'm not exactly decided on my stance of capital punishment but in this case."

"We hear you." Speed said.

"So what was strange about your conversation with Alexx this morning?" Eric asked.

"She wanted me to tell her… Oh no I'm not telling you that."

"Oh come on we shared; now it's your turn." Eric prompted.

"I forget now, it must be an effect of my concussion." Calleigh replied.

"That excuse will only work for so long you know."

"I know." Calleigh grinned. "I may as well make the most of it."

TBC


	42. Chapter 42

"Calleigh Duquesne you are supposed to keep off of your feet." Horatio scolded as he let himself into Calleigh's apartment to see her moving across the floor on her crutches. She had been out of hospital for a week. Horatio dropped by so often Calleigh had found it easier just to give him a key to the door.

"Horatio, scare me half to death why don't you." Calleigh stuck her hand out and reached for the counter to balance herself.

"You should be sat down."

"I was getting hungry." Calleigh replied. "I didn't know what time you were coming if at all."

"I told you I would be here." Horatio stated. "Where is Magda?"

"I sent her home, she was driving me crazy."

Horatio had insisted on hiring a woman to come and make sure Calleigh was looked after once she had been allowed home from the hospital and he had to be at work.

"Cal, she's supposed to make sure you don't over do it."

"Horatio, the doctor said I was making good progress and that I can come back to work on Monday as long as I stay in the lab. I don't need a babysitter."

"Calleigh why don't you sit down and I'll get you something to eat and we'll talk about this."

"No." Calleigh said adamantly.

"No?" Horatio questioned.

"I think it would be better if you just left."

"You want me to leave?" Horatio repeated.

"We've been in each other's pockets since this happened, I think we need a little space. I'll see you on Monday."

"Calleigh, we should talk about this."

"Horatio, please just go. I'll see you in a few days."

"Calleigh..."

"Horatio, please do as I ask."

"Okay." He conceded. "But promise me you'll take things easy."

"I promise."

Horatio walked over and dropped a kiss on top of her forehead before turning and leaving.

Calleigh managed to make it back to the couch, her appetite gone before she burst into tears.

Outside Horatio wasn't quite sure what had just taken place, but he knew Calleigh wouldn't just blow up at him like that for no reason. There had to be something wrong and if she wouldn't talk to him, maybe there was someone else she would talk to.

He pulled out his cell phone and dialled a familiar number.

"Alexx Woods."

"Alexx, its Horatio…."

TBC


	43. Chapter 43

"It's open Alexx." Calleigh called when her doorbell rang an hour later.

"You know you really should keep your door locked." Alexx advised. "You know the kind of people who are out there."

"I was expecting you." Calleigh replied.

"How did you know I was dropping by sugar?" Alexx inquired.

"I told Horatio to leave, so I guessed he would call you to check up on me."

"He's just concerned about you." Alexx said taking a seat next to where Calleigh was sat with her leg propped up. "What happened?"

"He came and told me I should be off my feet and then asked where Magda was. He was exactly I had sent her home because she was driving me crazy. I can manage by myself."

"Cal you only got out of hospital a week ago you need to take it easy. Your shoulder still isn't healed properly so you need to use the crutches as little as possible, we talked about this."

"I know. I've spent most of my time on the couch or in bed; I've been taking it easy. But he's being too over protective, so I told him to leave and that I would see him on Monday."

"Calleigh, honey, he's only like that because you scared the hell out of him, out of all of us. You should have seen Eric when you were talking to him on the phone." Alexx told.

"I know. You've all been great, but I feel like I've been suffocating."

"Calleigh, have you talked to anyone baby?"

"I saw the department psychologist at the hospital twice and once this week. She's given me the all clear to go back to work."

"What did you discuss?"

"Alexx that comes under doctor patient confidentiality."

"I know baby, but did you discuss the fact that you haven't accepted that you lived, when somewhere in your brain you think you should have died after you fell."

"Alexx…" Calleigh said. "That's crazy…"

"No it's not. Baby, I know you and somewhere in that pretty little head of you think you should have died. But you didn't, you're alive and somewhere in there you think pushing people away means they won't get hurt if the worst did happen."

"Alexx…"

"Tell me I'm wrong." Alexx crossed her arms.

"Alexx... You're… you're…" Calleigh couldn't quite out get the words out. "You know that first night I was out of it, I was babbling in Spanish and Horatio, I'm pretty sure he told me he loves me."

"He does." Alexx replied. "But you didn't answer my questioned."

"Because you're probably right."

"I have a friend who is a psychologist; she has nothing to do with Miami-Dade PD. Perhaps you should talk to her, you can talk over your fears about dying, Horatio and anything else you don't feel comfortable talking over with the rest of us." Alexx suggested.

"You don't think I'm crazy?"

"Calleigh, you are one of the sanest people I know, especially considering what we see everyday. But talking to someone can help you figure out where you are, maybe find an answer to some questions that you need answering."

"Okay."

"I'll give her a call."

TBC


	44. Chapter 44

Calleigh had Eric give her a ride to work on Monday morning. When he inquired why she hadn't asked Horatio for a ride, Calleigh had simply told him that Horatio couldn't make it. In reality she hadn't asked him, she knew he would be there if she called him, but she need to walk into CSI on her own two feet if only figuratively not literally.

"Take it easy." Eric told her when they got to the ballistics lab. "Sit on that chair with wheels as much as possible."

"Yes Dad." Calleigh sighed.

"I'll see you later." Eric winked at her.

"You must be Detective Duquesne." An eager young man said when she entered ballistics on her crutches.

"Calleigh." She corrected. "And you are?"

"Harry Donaldson, Lieutenant Caine asked me to help you out for a few weeks."

"Let me sit down and we'll get acquainted." Calleigh went and sat down on the chair. "So Harry can you shoot straight?"

"Excuse me?"

"This is a ballistics lab; I need someone who can shoot a gun without recoiling. Grab a gun out of the gun cage and some bullets; we'll do a little target practice before we start."

"Okay." He said hesitantly.

Calleigh watched his gun selection, you could tell a lot about a person from which gun they choose as well as how well they shot it.

"Okay, you'll do." Calleigh smiled looking at the group of bullet holes. "Clean that before you put it back."

"But before you do that perhaps Calleigh and I can have a moment alone." Horatio said from the doorway.

"Of course Lieutenant Caine." Harry made sure the safety was on the gun and put it on the counter before leaving.

"Thank you." Horatio said. "Calleigh."

"Hi Horatio." Calleigh smiled.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better for being back at work." She paused. "I'm sorry I told you to get out, I was just feeling a little crowded and needed some space."

"It's okay." Horatio said.

"I'm sorry anyway. Thank you for calling Alexx."

"We're all here if you need to talk."

"How about a hug?" Calleigh said.

"That too." Horatio walked over and wrapped his arms around her careful not to hurt her shoulder and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm here if you need me."

"I know. Thank you."

"So do you think Harry will work out or do I have to find you someone else?"

"He's a bit jumpy but he can shoot straight and get a good grouping, he'll do for now." Calleigh replied.

"Good."

"While we're talking about work boss, can I leave a little early around 4.30 there is somewhere I have to be by 5.00."

"You can work as long a day as you like. You're on limit duty until the doctor gives you the all clear. Just let me know when you're leaving. Do you need a ride?"

"I'll get a cab." Calleigh replied.

"How did you get here this morning?"

"Eric." She replied. "I told him you need to be here early so I needed a ride."

"I was in early briefing Harry." Horatio said as his pager went off. "I should get back to work, take things easy okay?"

"I will. I'll see you later."

TBC


	45. Chapter 45

"Calleigh." A voice from the door said.

"Yelina." Calleigh muttered. "What can I do for you?" She turned around on her chair.

"I think we need to talk."

"I thought we decided it was best unless it was about a case, that we didn't talk to each other."

"Circumstances change." Yelina crossed her arms.

"What did you want to discuss?" Calleigh asked.

"I'm sure you very well." Yelina said harshly.

"Calleigh." Harry said.

"Who are you?" Yelina snapped.

"Harry Donaldson." He stuttered.

"Harry, can you take this to trace for me?" Calleigh asked. She picked up a bindle and file. She scribbled a note and added it to the stack. "Just sign here and make sure they sign for it when you get to the other end." Calleigh instructed. Harry did as she asked.

"So you have another flunky run around after you." Yelina commented.

"I can't run around because I have a broken leg and I can't shoot because I dislocated my shoulder, but I can still do my job so I have an assistant for a few weeks. And as to my relationship with Horatio that is none of your business."

"Oh I think it's very much my business."

"Lieutenant Caine." Harry said hesitantly as he walked into Trace where Horatio, Eric and Speed were.

"Yes Harry."

"Calleigh asked me to bring this over and make sure that someone signed for it."

"Okay." Horatio took the evidence from him and signed the COC card. "Was there anything?"

"Umm. She wrote this note saying to get one of the three of you right away."

"Did she say why?"

"No. But there is a woman in Ballistics."

"What does she look like?" Eric asked.

"Hispanic, long dark curly hair. I think Calleigh called her…"

"Yelina." Horatio filled in. "Excuse me gentlemen."

"We're right behind you H." Speed said. "Harry, I need you to sign all these chain of custody cards and stay here with this evidence. We'll be right back."

"I don't…"

"Don't think do." Eric supplied. "Let's go."

"And don't touch anything." Speed called over his shoulder.

"Yelina… perhaps you should talk to Horatio." Calleigh said Yelina getting closer to her. Calleigh wished she had her gun or at least one in range right now. Her crutches were on the other side of the room as she had used the chair to move across the room. The back was right against the counter.

"No I'll talk to you. Stop…"

"Ladies." Horatio came into ballistics. Calleigh let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Horatio." Yelina said.

"How is Ray Jr?"

"Growing about an inch a week."

"I'll have to come by and see him soon." Horatio said trying to defuse the scene; the room was thick with tension.

"Cal where do you want…" Eric and Speed walked in casually. "Sorry."

"What did you need boys?" Calleigh asked grateful they were there. She used her good foot to push herself across the room closer to them for protection.

"We were just wondering when you'd be ready for lunch and where you wanted to go." Eric asked.

"I just need to go and see Alexx first. Horatio did you …"

"I was just coming see how much longer on that ballistics report."

"Is after lunch okay?" Calleigh asked.

"Go." He nodded towards the door knowing she wanted to get out of the room.

"Eric grab her crutches we'll give her a push so she doesn't have to walk that far." Speed suggested moving behind the chair and putting his hands on the back.

"Thank you." Calleigh replied.

"Our pleasure." Eric added.

"Are you okay?" Speed asked when they were down the hall.

"Thank you for rescuing me." Calleigh replied.

"That's us knights in shining armour." Eric joked.

"What did she want?"

"Basically stay away from Horatio or else." Calleigh replied.

"That woman is beginning to get on my nerves." Speed said.

"Do those nerves go anywhere near a judge so I can get a TRO?" Calleigh asked. She put her hand in the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out a tape recorder and pressed stop.

"You recorded it?" Eric questioned.

"The doctor said to avoid typing as much as possible as well. So I'm recording my reports on tape so they can be transcribed later." Calleigh explained.

"Let us go and get our evidence back from your assistant and we'll take you to the nearest judge." Eric assured her.

"You should report her to IA too." Speed added.

"No IA. If she doesn't comply with the TRO she goes to jail, that's enough for me. She's a good cop apart from this."

TBC


	46. Chapter 46

"So Yelina what are you doing here?" Horatio asked.

"I was talking to Calleigh, before you can in and she left."

"I thought we decided that you weren't going to talk to her unless it was about a case."

"I needed to discuss something with her." Yelina stated.

"Concerning what?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"If you have a problem with one of my CSIs I'd appreciate it if you talked to me first, but as Calleigh has been out for a few weeks and hasn't been involved in any cases with you for over a month it can't be that."

"Why do you instantly presume it was my fault?" Yelina asked.

"Calleigh's restricted to the lab and has been here all morning clearing some of the backlog so I have to surmise that you came to her."

"Let me guess she sent that weird guy with a note asking you to come and 'rescue' her." Yelina said snidely. "And you all jumped right to it."

"His name is Harry Donaldson and he's assisting Calleigh for a few weeks. He brought a file to trace. I was already on my way here, I was just checking in with a few people on the way." Horatio wasn't lying exactly he was on his way to check on Calleigh, but had been distracted talking over a case with Eric and Speed. "And I don't like you're implication."

"Horatio…"

"Yelina, you're family and you always will be for Ray Jr's sake. But that doesn't mean you can make the lives of my friends and co-workers more difficult just because you happen to dislike our relationships. Perhaps you should leave."

"Horatio, you're throwing me out?"

"I'm asking you to leave." Horatio corrected. "Excuse me I have work to do."

"Detective Duquesne, Speedle, Delko." The judge said. "Please come in and take a seat."

Calleigh took a seat, but Eric and Speed choose to remain standing.

"I heard about your accident." The judge commented. "I'm glad to see that you're alright."

"Thank you Your Honour." Calleigh said.

"So what can I do for you all?" He inquired.

"I need a restraining order." Calleigh replied.

"I see, against whom?"

"Detective Salas." Calleigh replied.

"For what reason." Calleigh played him the tape.

"It's not the first time she's done this." Eric said.

"It's been going on for months; it's just got worse the last month or so."

"Detective Salas mentioned your relationship with Lieutenant Caine, what exactly is the nature of your relationship if you don't mind my asking?"

"We were trying to work out the details before I was injured, we still working on it." Calleigh replied.

"I see." He leant back in his chair. "I can understand why you want the restraining order but I'm just trying to work out how it's going to work given both your jobs. It's a little difficult to have a TRO from a CSI to a police detective when your workloads over lap."

"I asked her to keep away from me unless it was about a case before but it obviously didn't work."

"How about she has to stay away from you unless it's about a case and then she can only talk to you if someone else is present, preferably another CSI." Speed proposed.

"That would work, Detective Duquesne?" The judge asked.

"That's fine by me." Calleigh replied.

"I'll have it drawn up and her served with it in a few hours. I presume she'll be at the police station."

"Probably." Calleigh replied.

"Dispatch." Speed pulled out the radio he had brought with him in case they were needed. "This is Speedle."

"Go ahead."

"I need a location of Detective Yelina Salas."

"Be advised that her last known location was at the Crime Lab over." Dispatch informed him.

"Thank you." Speed replied. "I doubt she'll be there for much longer, she's not working any case as far as I know that involve our department."

"Thank you. I'll have that taken care of right away."

TBC


	47. Chapter 47

"Horatio that report you wanted?" Calleigh said as she made her way into the layout room Horatio was in.

"Here take a seat." He pushed a chair towards her.

"Thanks." Calleigh sat down and propped her crutches against the counter. "There weren't any matches to anything in IBIS or in any of the other databases."

"I thought as much." Horatio confirmed. "How was lunch?"

"We had take out on the way back." Calleigh replied.

"Way back from where?"

"The courthouse." Calleigh replied. "I applied for a TRO against Yelina."

"I see." Horatio said.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Calleigh asked.

"You don't want to file a complaint with IA?" Horatio asked.

"No. Yelina is a good cop despite her problems with me. There will be less impact on her career this way and she'll keep away from me."

"Okay." Horatio said.

"We had the judge word it so she has to keep twenty feet from me, and not talk to me unless she needs to talk to me about a case then there has to be at least one other person present, preferably another CSI."

"We'll arrange that."

"Horatio is everything okay?" Calleigh asked.

"It's just fine."

"Did Yelina say something after I left?"

"Rather a lot of some things but nothing that should concern you."

"So what are you working on?" Calleigh asked.

"Locating a rapist." Horatio replied. "These are victim's clothes."

"Do you want some help?" Calleigh offered. "You know what they say about many hands making light work."

"Is there anything that needs taking care of in ballistics?" Horatio asked.

"Nothing that can't wait."

"Then let me get you some gloves." Horatio said.

"Thank you."

"Detective Yelina Salas?" A man in a suit came into towards her desk.

"Yes?" Yelina looked up.

"Can you sign here?" He held out a clip board to her.

"For what exactly?" Yelina asked as she signed.

"You've just been served with a restraining order." He handed her the envelope. "Have a nice day."

TBC


	48. Chapter 48

"There you are." Speed said coming into the layout room where Calleigh and Horatio were.

"Which one of us were you looking for?" Horatio asked.

"Calleigh." Speed replied. "Harry is looking for you. That guy is a little annoying."

"I didn't pick him." She glanced at Horatio. "He can shoot a gun straight which is the main thing."

"And Tripp called to give us a heads up." Speed added.

"She wasn't very happy then." Calleigh said.

"I think the words fuming and smoke coming out of her ears were used." Speed added.

"That would have been interesting to see." Calleigh smirked.

"H…" Speed said.

"Yes."

"Anything that needs to go to trace?"

"Those." Horatio indicated the samples he had taken. "If and a couple for DNA."

"I'll drop them off on the way back."

"Cal…" Eric entered.

"This is turning into a regular party." Calleigh teased.

"I think the boss might have a problem with that." Eric winked at her.

"So what can I do for you or is Harry still looking for me?"

"Someone just brought this into reception, said someone tossed it over their garden fence. Since they had kids they thought they should bring it over." He held up a gun.

"Did you get their fingerprints?" Calleigh asked.

"One ten card for comparison." He offered.

"Do you want to be a gentleman and carry them for me?" Calleigh upped her southern accent. "I feel ballistics calling."

"Well I don't know…" Eric teased. "Let's go."

"I'll see you later Horatio." Calleigh hopped of the stool and took her crutches.

"Take it easy and remember you wanted to leave early today."

"I remember." Calleigh smiled.

"After you." Eric stepped back to let her out the door first.

"Such a gentlemen." Calleigh said. Eric whispered something to her which caused her to chuckle. "Men!"

Horatio raised an eyebrow before carrying on working as they left.

TBC


	49. Chapter 49

"Calleigh come in." Alexx's psychologist friend said.

"Thanks." Calleigh manoeuvred her way in and sat down the couch.

"I'm Sarah Springfield." The doctor sat down.

"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice." Calleigh thanked her.

"Anything for a friend of Alexx's." Sarah replied. "She filled me in on your accident, but why don't you tell me why you think you're here."

"Alexx said something to me that I couldn't deny."

"What was that?"

"That I was pushing people away because somewhere in the back of my mind I thought it would make it hurt less if I did die. That somewhere in my brain I haven't accepted the fact that I lived even though I could have died."

"Do you think she's right?" Sarah asked.

"Probably." Calleigh had to admit. "I filled for a restraining order today." She changed the subject.

"We'll come back to Alexx's observation later, tell who did you have the restraining order filed against?"

"Detective Salas. Yelina Salas."

"Why did you do that?"

"She was making veiled threats. The judge agreed with me that it was over-stepping the line."

"Threats about what?"

"She doesn't like the fact that Horatio are taking our relationship beyond simple friendship, actually she didn't like it before when we were just good friends."

"What's Yelina's relationship with Horatio?" Sarah asked.

"Yelina was married to Horatio's brother. He died in the line of duty a few years ago. Horatio just sees her as family, the mother of his nephew. Yelina seemed to think that she could have the other brother too."

"I'm guessing her behaviour escalated." Sarah said.

"First it was just cold reactions, and then it got more obvious all of our co-workers noticed, except Horatio. Then about a month ago we were working a case and it got cold so Horatio leant me his suit jacket, he got called away. Yelina turned up to talk to him and …. Alexx mentioned it to Horatio. Which I guess was the turning point in our relationship. Then a few days later she came and was making accusations. I snapped and told her to stay away from me unless it was about a case. After that I had my accident. Then this morning, she came and made the threats after she had seen how much time Horatio was spending with. I had to send my temporary assistant to get Horatio. He came and distracted her while Eric and Speed took me out on the excuse we were going out to lunch."

"White Knights." Sarah commented.

"We're all very close." Calleigh said.

"How did Yelina's behaviour make you feel?"

"I like her, she's a good detective. It's just her behaviour about Horatio and my relationship that is the problem."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I don't know. Horatio and I are still figuring things out, but she is certainly not helping."

"Let's talk about your relationship with Horatio." Sarah suggested.

TBC


	50. Chapter 50

"Horatio." Horatio answered his phone later that evening.

"Horatio, it's Calleigh." Calleigh responded.

"Did whatever you did after work go okay?" Horatio inquired.

"That's what I needed to talk to you about. Can I come over?"

"Perhaps it would be easier for me to come to you."

"I'm in a cab, and the driver is waiting for me to tell him where to go." Calleigh replied.

"Come over, I'll drive you home later." Horatio said.

"I'll see you soon."

"Come in." Horatio said as he held the door open.

"Thank you." Calleigh manoeuvred herself inside.

"Please take a seat." Horatio suggested. Calleigh sat down. "Is everything okay?"

"I went to see a friend of Alexx's when I left work."

"Okay." Horatio said not sure where she was going with her statement.

"Her name is Sarah Springfield, she's psychologist." Calleigh continued. "It seems I have some issues I need to deal with…"

"What kind of issues?" Horatio inquired.

"Issues about what happened, my Dad, my whole family, Yelina, you…"

"What about me?"

"It's something that's been bothering me for weeks, Sarah says I need to ask you straight out."

"You know you can ask me anything." Horatio sat watching her as Calleigh tried to figure out how to word the question.

"When I was in hospital did we have a conversation in Spanish?"

"Yes. The first night you kept lapsing in to Spanish." Horatio confirmed. "It had the doctors a little confused."

"At least that part of my memory is accurate."

"Tell me what it is that you are not sure you remember correctly and we'll take it from there okay?"

"Just so you know either way you answer this question is fine, I have no expectations."

"Calleigh, just ask me."

"When we were speaking in Spanish, did you tell me you loved me?"

"Yes." Horatio replied.

"Yes?" Calleigh choked.

"You told me you loved me and I told you I loved you too." He expanded.

"Why didn't you bring it up again when I was more coherent?"

"I didn't know if you remembered saying it, so it was easier to not bring it up."

"Did you mean it?" Calleigh inquired.

"Yes. Did you?"

"Yes. So where does that leave us?"

"Taking everyday a minute at a time like everybody else." Horatio replied.

"And Yelina?"

"Yelina can take care of herself, she'll be back off now because of the restraining order, if she doesn't we'll deal with it. I love you Calleigh." He pushed a loose hair behind her ear.

"I love you too Handsome." Calleigh kissed him.

THE END

A/N: Probably a really bad place to end it, but let me know what you thought.


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